SCAVENGER HUNT
by 143csi4ever
Summary: Sara and Catherine go on a friendly competition against the boys after shift. CS pairing. Don't like, don't read...
1. Chapter 1

**SCAVENGER HUNT**

_disclaimer: CSI is a property of CBS and J Bruckheimer._

_I just make up stories to keep my sanity intact. i do try..._

* * *

"Come on, guys. It's gonna be fun! When was the last time you played a game like this?" Greg's enthusiasm was barely convincing the bored looks of Warrick, Nick and Catherine who were lounging in the breakroom. It was one of those nights when the hours seemed to drag on forever. The only one whose eyes were bright with excitement were those of David Hodges. 

Hodges stands up and claps his hands, "Come on, Warrick. I've never played this before. This is gonna be sooo much fun!"

Warrick rolls up his eyes and turns to Nick who lazily shrugs his shoulder. Greg looks pleadingly at Catherine, "it'll be fun, we can pair up in teams. Most likely it'll be two, three hours tops. What do you say, guys? Please?"

"So what's the prize, smarty pants?" Catherine pours herself another cup of coffee.

Greg looks at her."Huh?"

"The prize for the winner, man. You gotta convince us." Warrick stretches on the couch, his eyes half closed.

"Oh," Greg says scratching the back of his head, "Umm, I really... haven't thought of that yet."

Nick flashes his Texan grin, "A game without a prize. That's very convincing, Greggo. Way to go, man."

"I'll give a hundred dollars." Hodges says triumphantly. "The winners split a hundred dollars among themselves."

"And if you win?" Catherine askes.

"Then," Hodges winks at her, "the money goes to my partner."

Now it was Catherine's turn to roll up her eyes.

Hodges takes a crisp hundred dollar bill from his wallet and places it on the table, "Two hours, hundred dollars. Think of it, people."

"Here's a twenty." Greg tosses the money on the table as he raises the stakes.

"Fine." Nick digs in his pocket and fishes out a crumpled twenty. "There goes my breakfast."

The three men look at Warrick, waiting. "This better be good, Greg. Or you're paying me back, double." He takes out his wallet and hands a twenty dollar bill to Greg who places it on the table.

Then they all turned to Catherine who takes a step back.

"Hey, don't look at me. I'm not agreeing to play this silly game." She takes a sip of her coffee. "Besides, you'll be one man short."

"No problem," Hodges pipes in, "Archie would gladly join us."

Catherine shakes her head, gets up and starts to walk out the door. "Nah. Too childish. I'm not really in the mood for silly games when I can sit and relax when I get home, get comfortable on my couch as I drink my coffee and enjoy the peace and quiet of a Saturday morning. Who wants to spend two, three hours of..."

Sara suddenly walks in the break room.

"I'll play as long as I pair off with Sara then." Catherine suddenly walks to Sara and hooks her arm around the brunette's.

Sara, with a surprised look, looks at Catherine, "What the..."

The older CSI leans towards the younger one. "We'll be splitting hundred sixty dollars, Sara. Imagine what we can try on and buy at Victoria's Secrets. Say 'yes' I'll explain later."

Sara answers with all uncertainty. "Uhh... yes?"

"Good it's fixed. Pick your own partners, boys. I got mine. Two girls against four boys, see you all after shift." Catherine smiles sweetly as she drags Sara out of the breakroom.

Warrick, Nick, Greg and Hodges were left open mouthed in the breakroom, most likely with images of the women trying on lingerie.

* * *

Sara still clueless, stops in the middle of the hallway and faces Catherine, "and what dangerous work did I just agree out of the blue am I getting involved in?" 

Catherine kept on walking but turns and grins at the brunette, "Scavenger Hunt, Sara."

"What?" Sara says in disbelief.

* * *

_r/r if i need to continue..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Scavenger Hunt **

**chapter II**

**thanks for all the reviews...**

* * *

"Catherine, wait up!" Sara takes big strides to catch up with the strawberry blond. "Did I hear right?" 

"Yup! Greg organized a Scavenger Hunt after shift. It should be fun." Catherine enters her office with Sara following close behind.

Sara hesitates before entering."Uh, can I come in?"

Catherine turns around, "don't be such a dork, Sara. You usually barg in without asking. Of course you can come in!"

The brunette closes the door behind her. "I don't like this, Catherine."

"Which part? Me and you being paired together or me coning you into being paired with me or just the fact we'll be in this together?"

Sara wrinkles her brow, " uh, you kinda lost me there..."

Catherine takes a step towards the taller CSI, "Look at it this way, I want to prove to the boys that we women are smarter than they are."

"There's no doubt about that part but...uhhh...when we...you know..."

Catherine finished the brunette's sentence. "But when we work together we argue, fuss and fight?"

"Exactly." Sara says with a smile.

"But," reasons the blond with a grin, "this isn't about work. This is going to be about joining our wits and creativity. Plus I'll get Greg to make it to two hundred dollars."

Sara looks at the blond curiously, "and how are you going to pull that off?"

Catherine raises an eyebrow and smiles sweetly. ""Join forces with me and you'll see."

* * *

After clocking out, Catherine and Sara went back to the break room where Nick, Warrick, Greg and Hodges were waiting. 

"Okay, we're all here. Warrick is pairing off with Nick, of course." Greg takes a deep breath and closes his eyes for a second longer, "so I'm ending up with Hodges."

"Well, Warrick said he'll _only_ go if he's with Stokes here." Hodges points to Nick who was grinning widely.

"I didn't now I was that famous for you guys to be fighting over me." Nicky puffs up his chest and starts patting it with his palms.

"Such a King Kong." Sara muttered.

"What they say are about Texans are true, Sara." Nick flashes a smile her way. "Everything's big, even our egos."

"Smart ass." Came the brunette's reply.

"Greg." Catherine raises her hand. "Add forty dollars to make it two hundred. It'll be a nice whole number."

"Well," Greg looks at her, "you and Sara didn't give..."

"Listen here, Sanders,"Catherine starts. " I got a kid whom I'll have to pick up at my sister's after this so called hunt you've started. Lindsey and I we're suppose to have breakfast together, which of course I'll miss because of this so called hunt you've started. And you know I'm off every other Saturday's which are spent catching up with Lindsey. I will be..."

"Okay, okay! Stop making me feel guilty. I'll pass it over to Brass when we go out." Greg eyes the blond, "happy, Catherine?"

"Extremely." Replies Catherine who glances at Sara with a wink. Sara in return, impressed, gives her a thumbs up.

"Okay, guys. Here's the list of the twelve things we all finally agreed on. You all have your camera phones for the pictures. First one done calls Brass who agreed to also hold the winnings, as a... ummm...as long as the winner buys him breakfast."

"What?" The group called in unison.

"Well, I couldn't ask Grissom. He already was in a prissy mood since last night. And you know what'll he say about games and stuff, And Sofia well, I don't know... she sometime's makes me..." Greg starts to sweat. "Anyway, I got Brass who was amused but bargained for breakfast. So, everybody clear?"

Everyone nods in agreement while mumbling the word 'clear' back to Greg.

"Good." He said with the biggest smile. "And we're off!"

* * *

Catherine walks to the locker room, with Sara reading the list on the paper. "He gotta be kidding. He's kidding, right? Where in the world do we get or do these? Who in the world do these thing? Is this legal?" 

"Sara honey, you've never done this before, have you?"

"Well, I had much more better things to..."

Catherine interrupts. "Have you or have you not?"

"Ummm. No. Not really." Replied Sara sheepishly.

"Can't blame you." Catherine pats the brunette on the back. "you must of been a geek is school. A member of the math club, science club, greek club, chess club, auto club, chemistry club, recess club, english club, club med, tools-are-us club..."

"Uh, I was president of the math and chess club back then. There's no recess club. But I was a member of..."

Catherine holds her hand up. "Sara, stop. Two words: geek club."

"But there wasn't a geek..."

Catherine faces Sara, "Trust me. You belong to the secret society of the geeks."

"But..."

"Let me put it this way, Sara. It was so secret, you didn't even knew you were in it. Comprende?"

"Oh..."

* * *

In the locker the women walked into a who's who conversation between Hodges and Greg. 

"I still say we'll take my car." Greg says.

Hodges continues to argue. "It's a volks, for pete's sake. An old 1980's ancient bug! Mine is van, more room, more presentable driving down the strip."

"I'm not breaking any speed limits, Hodges. Plus, I don't want anyone getting the idea you're my father or something."

"What? I'm like ten years older than you!"

"Well, again, I don't wan't people to think I'm a product of your teenage tryst riding in a family van!" Greg says irritatedly.

"I told you my car is in the shop so I had to borrow my sister's van."

Greg folds his arms across his chest. "I don't care. I'm not riding in your sister's van. It's a turn off, man!"

"Well," Hodges folds his arms across his chest, " I don't want to ride on something that might break down in the middle of the road."

"Well, my bug can go in and out any part of the city."

"Try the city dump."

"Well, I thought up the game here. Even kind enough to ask you if you wanted in."

"Well, I'm giving the Ben Franklin."

"Well, I have the list."

"Well, I..."

Catherine pulls Sara out the door and whispers, "knowing the two they'll be here for awhile." She takes Sara by the hand, "Come on, our only true competition now is Warrick and Nicky."

Sara follows her gladly with a skip in her steps.

* * *

**r/r always welcomed...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Scavenger Hunt**

**chapter III**

* * *

"I'll drive." Catherine pulls out her keys when they got out of the building. "No arguing either, so you better put a cork in it," she added when she saw Sara open her mouth to protest. 

Sara closes her eyes for a moment, takes a deep breath and continues walking towards Catherine's car. Obviously trying hard not to make a comment.

"Besides, I know a couple of people and my way around Vegas." Catherine adds with a satisfied smile.

"You got me there then." Sara nods in agreement. "So where to?" She askes as she got in the passenger's seat.

"Read the list again." Catherine slowly drives out the parking lot.

* * *

Sara reads the first one again with disbelief. "Mayor's signature." She turns to Catherine, "How in the world are we going to get that at this early in the morning?" 

"Oh, that's an easy one." Catherine glances at the list. "It wouldn't be a problem. He used to have a thing for me."

"Everyone does." Sara says under her breath.

But Catherine caught that. "Meaning what exactly?"

"Huh? Oh, I...I didn't mean it in _that _way. I mean...I meant..." Sara could feel her ears burning even with the morning breeze coming through the half rolled down window.

Catherine noticed her passenger was fidgiting in her seat, and it amused her but still she askes. "Again, meaning what exactly?"

"Well," the brunette steals a glance at the driver, "well, you're Catherine Willows."

"So?"

Sara says quietly, "can't I just please read the second one on the list?"

"No. And you know I'm not going to let this go. I want to know." Catherine gives a long sigh, "see? now you got me rhyming crap."

Sara laughs, "ha! You're good at it! How about if..."

"Don't change the subject, Sara."

"Alright! It's just... " Sara pauses and looks at Catherine, "it's just that you're beautiful, smart, drop dead gorgeous. Everyone desires you."

"Everyone? That's a first."

"Everyone."

"Sara, I've never known you to exaggera..."

"Everyone." Sara says flatly.

They drive in silence for a few seconds. But Catherine could not hold her tongue any longer, "does that include...you?"

Sara leans back on the seat and snaps, "Catherine, I'm tired, you're tired. We'll just get this hunt over with and go home, okay?"

Catherine didn't push the subject any further but tries to lighten the mood, "well, don't forget we'll be a hundred dollars richer."

With that Sara smiled again, making Catherine feel much better.

* * *

They arrive at the City Hall. 

As the walk up the steps, Sara asks, "how are we going to get his signature?"

Catherine grins mischeviously. "Let's just say I've known him since he was vice mayor."

"Oh, _that_ way..." Sara says uncomforatably trying to look away, "oh, I...I see. Okay then."

"Not like _that_ way, Sara. Come on!" Jokes Catherine.

"But you said..."

"I used to go with my father, Sam, to these political functions. Sam donated a lot of money during his campaign. So he kind of like..."

"...owes you a favor,"says Sara with relief. "For awhile there I was a bit..."

"Jealous?" Catherine faces the brunette with a little smirk.

"What? I... I... I'm not...I...I didn't..."

"Stop stuttering, Sara. It's too cute!" Catherine slips her arm playfully around the brunette's waist. "Relax, I was joking! Why in the world would you be jealous, it's not like you got something for me. Hell, we've been fighting for years!" She pulls Sara, "come on, there's his office."

Sara follows her but Catherine's last comment made her think, hard. Especially with the blond's arm around her waist giving her an unusual tingling sensation.

* * *

Catherine approaches the secretary, "Hi, My name's Catherine Willows,"she flashes out her CSI badge and points to Sara, "and this here is my partner, Sara Sidle. Is the mayor in? We need to ask him a few questions." 

The secretary flips a notebook open and asks, "do you have an appointment?"

Catherine exhales slowly, "no, we don't. We didn't want to make this an official meeting...just yet." She leans in and in a low voice, "if you know what I mean."

The secretary's eye's widen. "Oh, I'm sorry, Miss..."

"Catherine Willows and I'm Sara Sidle." Sara adds with a serious look as she flashes her badge. "Can we see him now? You know, before everyone gets here and asks too many questions?"

"Sure, sure. Umm..." the secretary looks at both of them, "he is expecting you, right?"

She says to the secretary, "just say it's Catherine Willows. He'll know."

"Just wait here, please. I'll check if he's available." The secretary walks in the office.

Sara leans sideways the blond and whispers, "you are way too confident, Catherine Willows. I think you scared her."

Catherine smirks and in a low voice, "you're the one who scaring her with your serious look and your low mafia voice saying, _'can we see him now? You know, before everyone gets here and ask too many questions,_' Hell, that would have been enough for me to pee in my pants!"

Sara laughs and gets nudged by Catherine, "Shhh. Here she comes."

The secretary eyes Sara who was trying to supress a smile, "the mayor says he's free for the moment, Miss Willows. You and your partner can come in."

"Thank you!" They both say in unison and proceed to enter his office.

* * *

"Catherine!" The mayor stands up with open arms and gives the blond a hug. "Ah, you are looking lovlier!" 

"You always knew how to flatter, Steve." She pats Sara's arm, "this here is Sara. Sara Sidle."

"Oh!" He extends his hand and Sara shakes it, "how lovely! So how long have you two been together now? Do you need me to officiate your union?"

Surprised, Sara jerks her hand back. Catherine's eyes widen in horror as her jaw drops, "no, no, no, no, no, no! Steve, Sara and I work together at the crime lab! We're on an errand."

The mayor takes a step back, "I'm sorry, ladies!" And he gives a little chuckle, "My mistake, Catherine. When the secretary said you and your partner, I assumed...well, I was going to say you two look sweet and cute together!"

Catherine's eyebrow lifts at Sara as she looked at her head to toe.

"What?" The brunette asked.

"Nothing!" Came the blond's reply.

"Then why are you sizing me up?" Sara asks.

"I was not!" Catherine defends.

"You definetly were. I saw your eyes go up and down! Why? Are my clothes not matching or sometthing?"

"You're delirious as usual, Sidle! I was not..."

"You checking me out or something, Wilows?"

"Why the hell would I check you out? You're the one..."

"So," the mayor interrupts, "so, ladies. Ummm, ladies, excuse me..."

Catherine and Sara were still glaring at each other.

"Ehem... ehem...what can I do for you this early in the morning?"

Catherine not breaking the stare from Sara says, "we're on a scavenger hunt and I need your signature, Steve."

It was the mayor's turn to look surprised. "A what?"

"Scavenger hunt, Mr.Mayor." Sara turns to him finally breaking the stare, "we need your John Hancock to cross off our list."

The mayor's eyes dart back and forth among the women, "a what again?"

Catherine takes a deep breath, "Scavenger hunt. I know it sound silly, Steve, but your signature will be our part of our winning ticket. Getting your signature was part of the list. And I...well, we," she nods to Sara's way, "we don't like loosing to the boys at work."

The mayor exhales and chuckles lightly. "As long this goes to the shredder when you're done, Catherine. I trust you." He takes a pad and signs it, then hands it to her with a smile, "you two are crazy to do this, you know. Crazy."

"We know. Thank you so much. And sorry for busting in like this, Steve." Catherine gives him a hug.

"Hey," he says, "it's always a pleasure seeing you again, Catherine." He leans in and whispers in her ear, "I see the way you two look at each other. You sure? It's not known yet?"

Catherine takes a big step back, "Steve, you're crazy! That wasn't nice!" She pulls Sara by the hand and out of the room,"well, we're going now before you say something else!" Catherine turns again to the mayor before she closes the door, "Steve, again, thank you! Say hello to the missus."

The mayor laughs, "you know I won't! She'll be jealous again! And Catherine," he calls out to her with a smile, "are you absolutely sure?"

Catherine smirks, "Oh, go do some mayoral work or something!"

* * *

They go down the steps with Catherine unconsciously still clutching Sara's hand . The brunette asks, "what did he say to you?" 

"Oh, you know men. He wanted to know if I could see him." She says casually.

"Such a jerk!" Came the brunette's reply. "I could see why," she raises her eyebrows towards Catherine, and notices their intwined fingers. She stops dead on her track, pulling the blond back.

"Sara! What the...?" Catherine follows where the brunette's eyes were focused. And her eyes widen once again.

"I'm sorry!" Catherine suddenly lets go, feeling blood rush up her head." Oh, I didn't realize we were...our hands still...shit..."

The brunnette also apologizing simultaneously, "I didn't...crap. I didn't realize. Oh, hell..."

Both of them paused for a few seconds then burst laughing out loud as they reached the car.

"No wonder they thought we were partners...!" Sara said in between wiping her eyes.

"Yeah!" Came Catherine's reply, "what a silly thought!"

"Me and you? That would be priceless!"

* * *

**r/r would be nice**


	4. Chapter 4

**Scavenger Hunt**

**chapter IV**

* * *

They both get in the car with a lighter mood, still glancing at each other every now and then and bursting into laughter. Both of them unknowingly getting comfortable with each other's presence.

* * *

They were waiting for their coffee at the drive thru window. 

"So what's next on the list?" Catherine smiles at her companion.

"Hmmm. It says a matchbook from a hotel with a bellboy's kiss mark on it." She looks at Catherine with a sly smile. "You suggested this one, didn't you?"

Catherine winks at her, "I sure did! Now imagine the boys pull that one off."

Sara pauses and then her grin widens showing off her gapped teeth, "Oh! That would be hilarious! That is truly wicked!"

"My thoughts exactly, Sara dear!"

"So," Sara continues, "where the hell are we gonna get that one?"

The blond passes the coffee cup to her companion, "Sara, who do you think you're with?"

Sara grins, "I'm with the best!"

"Right!" Catherine squeezes her arm lightly as they drove off to the next assignment earing a huge smile from the brunette.

* * *

"So, Sara," Catherine began, "have you ever gone out with a woman before?" 

"As friends?" Sara sips her coffee as she watches the blond drive.

"Yes, like braid each other's hair, paint toenails, get perms together, compare cup sizes, share secret crushes, giggle in high pitched voices, etc. Girly pigtails and all those stuffs."

"Oh, sure! But we never got perms together although I..."

"No, you ninny!" Catherine rolls her eyes up, "I meant have you dated a woman before! God, Sara! Sometimes I don't know what to do with you! At times you're so geeky it's too adorable!"

"Oh. Sorry, I...I...ummm...Well... I..."

Catherine smirks, "there you go again. You stutter when you blush."

"I do not!" Sara faces her with a crinkle on her nose.

Catherine lifts an eyebrow. "Look in the mirror, chika girl. That shade of blushing would go great with my new handbag."

"Oh, Catherine, stop!"

Catherine pressess on. "Well? Have you or have you not?"

"Uh, me?"

"Hellooo...Is there someone else in the car besides me and you?"

"I...Uh...well..." Catherine could clearly see Sara's face turning bright red.

"You don't have to answer, Sara. I'm more concerned that you're head's going to explode with all that blood rush to your brain." Catherine point's her finger to the brunette's cheek. "I'll ask later, honey," smirks Catherine.

Sara sinks deeper in her seat as they drove on.

* * *

"The Bellagio?" Sara's eyes widen. "The Bellagio, Willows?" 

Catherine gets out of the car. "I'm not going in some seedy hotel. Besides I haven't been here in awhile." She hands the keys to one of the car attendants, "I wonder if..."

Sara cuts her off and faces her with a serious look. "This is the Bellagio, Catherine." She points to the hotel, "The Bellagio! This is a freaking five star hotel! You're going to get kiss marks on a match book from a bellboy here? Are you outta your mind? What if ... wait a minute, what do you mean you haven't been here in awhile?"

Catherine gives the brunnette a smirk. "something wrong with the hotel, Sara?"

Sara again becomes flustered, "uh, no. No, Bellagio is just fine."

* * *

They walk up to the information desk. 

The receptionist greets them with a smile. "Miss Willows! What a lovely surprise!"

More surprised was Sara who leans and whispers, "they even know you?"

"Shhh!" Catherine elbows her. She approaches the desk, "Gerry! Good morning. You're doing day shift! How are things?"

"Ah, everything's great." Gerry, the receptionist raises an eyebrow as he looks at Sara then at Catherine, "same room, Miss Willows?"

Sara's suprised look was classic: she turned white as snow as all the blood drained to her lower extremities.

Cathrine caught the look of sudden embarrassment of her female companion. "Uhhh, no. Not today, Gerry. This is Sara, she works with me."

Now it was the receptionist's turn to turn pale. "Sorry, Miss Willows. My mistake." Clearly he was embarrassed, "I'm so sorry. I..."

Catherine holds her hand up. "Gerry, skip it. It's all right. Is there a bellboy here?"

"Yes, Miss Willows. He's by the..."

Catherine turns towards the elevators, "I see him. Thanks, Gerry. By the way, you got a matchbook there?"

"Sure. Here." Gerry hands her one.

She smiles warmly. "Thanks, Gerry."

And the receptionist blushes. "Always a pleasure meeting you again, Miss Willows."

* * *

The pair walk towards the elevator. 

Sara couldn't contain herself, whispers in a high pitched voice, "you stay here, too, Catherine? That you got a regular room? Do you know how much it costs to stay here, Catherine? Oh, god, I thought I knew you well, Catherine. What else secrets you got in store? You're going to surprise me with every place we're heading to, right, Catherine? Oh, god, the only time I went in a room here was for finger printing! How often do you go here, Catherine? I can't believe..."

"Sara, I know I have a lovely name, but to say it in your every sentence? You gotta calm down, you know."

Sara takes a deep breath and recollects herself. In a slow, steady voice, "I'm sorry." She pauses, "I was surprised." She takes another deep breath, "there are so many surprising things about you that..."

Catherine leans in and whispers, "later, Sidle." She extends her arm towards the bellboy, "Robbie! How are you?"

"Miss Willows!" The bellboy shakes her hands shyly. "I didn't even knew you know my name."

"It's uh...on your ID." She points to the big bold letters with the name ROBBIE on his name tag.

"Oh..." his ears became a shade of red.

"What up with all the blushing today anyway?" Sara says under her breath, "first me, then the mayor, then that receptionist guy now this kid named Robbie."

Catherine ignores Sara. "Plus," she looks at the bellboy with a smile, "you're cute." This made him blush even more. Sara rolls her eyes up at her flirting.

Catherine continues to ignore her, "anyway, Robbie. I need a favor."

"Anything for you, Miss Willows," he says eagerly, "you name it, you got it!"

"Could you...well, how should I say it? It's a little embarrassing for me to ask of you, Robbie." Catherine fiddles with the match box with her fingers.

"Oh ,brother..." Sara says under her breath as she again rolls her eyes up.

Robbie obviously caught under Catherine's spell, "Miss Willows, anything at all. Anything! Just say the word and I'm yours at your disposal."

Sara shakes her head in disbelief. "Oh, for Pete's sakes..."

"Well, Robbie. You're so sweet! Can you just write you're name here and seal it with a...hmmm...kiss perhaps?" She hands him the match book and a lipstick.

He repeats her words slowly, "seal it... with a kiss?"

"Well, Robbie dear," the blond leans a little closer, "I'm old enough to be your mother and all I just want is a little reminder of this little fantasy I've been..."

"No momma will ever look as beautiful as you, Miss Willows. You'r every boy's fantasy! Oh, man the dreams I've..."

Sara tries to supress a grunt. Eventually follows it with a fake cough.

Catherine straightens her back up. "Yeah, yeah, Robbie. I just need your lip marks here, comprende?"

"Oh, sure, Miss Willows! Anything to satisfy your needs." He clumsily applies the lipstick, gives a smack on the match book and writes his name. "Wait till the boys hear of this one!"

"Yeah, yeah. That'll be a hoot. Thanks, Robbie." She takes the match book from the ever wide grinning bell boy. "Don't forget to wipe the lipstick off- you surely wouldn't want to get fired for them thinking you're kissing the customers, right?"

"Oh, no, no, no!" He wipes his lips with the back of his hand. "Thanks, Miss Willows!"

Catherine and Sara walk out with the taller CSI still shaking her head in disbelief. The car attendant hands her the keys.

"What?" The blond questions as they got in the car.

"Nothing." Came the short reply.

"Come on, Sara. You're free to speak. I know you got all these questions swimming around in that brain of yours. So let it rip."

Sara takes a deep satisfied breath, "okay, first off..."

"Hold that thought, Sara. I need more coffee first." She drives off leaving Sara's jaw hanging open.

* * *

**r/r would be nice**


	5. Chapter 5

**Scavenger Hunt**

**chapter V**

_ps: thanks for the wonderful feedbacks!_

* * *

Catherine could see the frustration in the brunette's eyes. Making Sara zip up just like that gave her a satisfied smile. A feeling of triumph.

* * *

They drove to a nearby gasoline station where Catherine bought two cups of coffee. Sara all the while just sat in the car complete with a pout, not uttering a single word nor making a single sound, her arms crossed over her chest. Catherine amused, hands the steaming cup which Sara took quietly. 

After Catherine takes a sip, Sara faces her, "so, your highness, with your permission am I free to talk now?"

"Yup, go ahead, Miss sarcasm. Ask all you want." Catherine slowly blows the steam that was escaping from her cup, for a moment mesmerizing Sara. "But," adds the older CSI with a sly smile, "I may choose which ones to answer."

Sara's eyes widen as she takes her focus away from Catherine's cherry red lips up to her steel blue eyes, "what? That is so not fair, Catherine, and you know it."

"Hey," the blond gives her a smug smile, "it'll keep you interested."

"Like I was never interested..." whispers Sara as she turns to look out the window.

Catherine's eyebrows goes up. Uncertain if she heard right. "What was that again?"

A smile formed at the younger CSI's lips. "Uh...nothing."

* * *

"I know you're itching to ask, Sara. So go ahead." Catherine starts the car and they slowly drive out of the gasoline station. 

Sara faces her, "The Bellagio."

"Wait a minute, what's the next task?"

"What? You asked me to ask you, Catherine. Now you've decided not to answer!" Sara shakes her head, looks out her window and mumbles to herself, "I can't believe this! I knew she'd say something like that sooner or later. Might as well shut up if she's going to avoid all questions. Typical. Always does! Avoids when it comes to confrontation. And I thought we were so called doing the bonding crap. Hell, stupid child's game. I should've gone to the gym. I could've..."

"Do your complaining later and read the next one on the list, Sidle." Catherine presses on, "I'm driving and I don't know where the hell we're going!"

"Oh," Sara pulls out the paper from her pocket and looks sheepishly at her. " Sorry, I thought you were trying to avoid..."

She cuts her off with a tone or irritation, "Yeah, yeah, I got it, Sara. Apology accepted with all the blah, blah, blah's with whipped cream on top. Just read it, okay?"

The brunette reads the paper and smirks. "This is definitely Greg's. Only a horny jerk like him would want that down. "

"Lemme see?" Sara holds the paper and the blond takes a quick glance, "picture with a stripper. Ha! Has Greg Sanders all over it. That's a real easy one."

"I gather you know... ummm... well." Sara scratches her head .

"For heaven's sake, Sara. Say strippers! It's not a dirty word." She shakes her head in disbelief, "I bet the only time you've been in a club is through a crime scene. Right?"

"Uh, well...I'm not really... I mean I do go with you guys and..."

Catherine cuts her off, "once. You only went with us once, Sara. Just once. Remember for Nick's birthday? If I recall correctly you didn't want to come. You gave all these excuses of finishing up... whatever! I had to practically drag you out there, force and strap you in my car, pull you out and push you in the door! Remember now?"

Sara responds dreamily with a smile, "yeah, I do remember that..."

"And this makes you in happy because... you got pulled, dragged,strapped and pushed? Never took you for the kinky type!"

"Huh?"

Catherine sighs. "Never mind, Sara. Go back to your happy place."

* * *

Sara turns and faces the driver who was cruising down the strip. "So is there a club open at this time?" 

Catherine looks at her with disbelief. "Sara, this is Vegas. Helloooo, where have you been all these years?"

"I, well... Come on, Catherine, you know by now that my life outside the department is like, non existence. I rarely associate unless forced! I'm not a social butterfly like you."

Catherine slows down to a curb and puts the car on park. She looks at the brunette full force. "Are you implying that I'm like a, oh, I don't know, hmmmm, a slut, Sara Sidle? Because I know and associate with a lot of people? Or is it because of my track record with men? Hell, were you meaning both?"

Sara lifts her hands infront of her with the possibility of defending her self in just in case. "No, no, no, no, Catherine. I didn't mean it that way. It's just that... well...you... You see, ummm..."

"Well, what the hell did you mean?" Snaps the blond.

"It's just that..." Sara pauses and looks down, "you're a fun person to be with." She looks up at Catherine before her eyes pop out from it's sockets, "and by the way, I mean that in a very good, good way, Catherine." She pauses again and looks down at her lap and continues quietly. " I mean, hell... you get along with everyone. You know how to adapt, you can adjust." Her eyes slowly meet the blond's. "For crying out loud, Catherine, everyone is in love with you, wants you or desires you! You're still gorgeous as ever. You're Catherine Willows, for crying out loud! You make people comfortable, make them feel wanted, make them feel at ease." Sara shakes her head slowly and continues. "And look at me, Catherine. I'm Sara Sidle, the outcast! I'm the scrawny girl who grew up from foster homes. I'm the girl who saw her mom kill her dad. I max my overtime because I don't have any where to go when I get home or when I'm off. Hell, I even order take outs for dinner because I have no place to go..." Her head slowly drops.

Catherine reaches out placing her hand on top of hers, and whispers, "hey, look at me." Sara slowly lifts up her eyes towards the blond. "Past is past. We can't do anything about that. It somehow makes us who we are now. You're not that same scrawny kid, right? You're Sara Sidle, kick ass CSI!" A smile forms at the corner of Sara's lips. "Besides, " the blond continues, "we have our present and a future to look forward to." She squeezes the brunette's hand lightly, "you got me, Sara. I'm here for you. I know it sounds odd and unbelievable. But hell, you need an extra hand to hang on to, you got mine, okay? I know we constantly fuss and argue but that's who we are at work. We want to get things done right. Now we're here. Just me and you. And," a smirk graces the blonds face, "we're here on a mission to kick the boys' butt once and for all!"

Sara returns the look with a warm smile. "Thanks, Catherine."

"Come here, you big social outcast!" Catherine pulls her close and gives her a hug.

Sara felt the blond's arms wrap around her shoulders, she instinctively responded by placing her hands on the older CSI's waist, pulling her closer. She closes her eyes and inhales the faint sweet smelling fragrance from the blond's hair.

Catherine whispers, "I'm here, Sara. Don't ever forget that." Her hand unconsciously snaking it's way up to the brunette's neck earning a hitch in the taller CSI's breathing. Sara's hand slowly travels upward on her back making the blond utter her name, "...Sara..."

Their cheeks brushed as they slowly pull apart and look into the other's eyes.

Then reality hits.

Hearts suddenly racing and wide eyed with shock, they both realize what was slowly happening. Both suddenly let go and sank back in their seats, embarrassed and apologizing to each other.

Sara with her cheeks flushed, started. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean...It was a moment of...oh, geez..."

Catherine interrupts, "no, no, no. My fault. I was...hell..."

"I was...crap...I don't know what happened...it...I...I was feeling...you were...damn!" Sara was twirling her ring around her fingers nervously.

The blond avoiding to look at Sara, pulled down the mirror and started fussing with her hair. "I...hell...Sara, I'm sorry...it was...shit!"

Then there was moment of silence in the car. Sara takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, Catherine drums her fingers on the steering wheel. The seconds passing seemed like hours.

Then Catherine takes a deep breath and without looking at the brunette, "we'll get this hunt over with, okay?" Sara nods in silent agreement.

Then the older CSI adds, "then we'll talk."

And horor sets in the eyes of the Sara. Confrontation was something she was never good at.

* * *

**r/r would be nice**


	6. Chapter 6

**Scavenger Hunt**

**chapter VI**

_ps: thanks for the wonderful feedbacks!_

_disclaimer: still the same. CSI is the property of CBS and J Bruckheimer. _

* * *

Catherine gets back on the highway. The mood inside the car was quiet. The cold air through the windows wasn't the only thing making both ladies uncomfortable. 

Suddenly Catherine sees something interesting, pulls over and says, "here we go, Sara." She gets out of the car, "you can handle this one."

Sara looks at the club, reads the bright red and yellow neon sign slowly, "My Hotspot. Open all hours." She looks at Catherine, "Is this for real? We go in," she points to the door that resembled huge red lips, "...there? Through that thing?"

"Yup." Replies the blond trying to supress a smile.

Sara shakes her head, "I'm not..."

Catherine teases her. "You chicken, Sara?"

"Noooo," replies Sara suddenly hugging herself, "I'm just uncomfortable entering those big red lip doors. Who knows what's beyond that."

"Maybe a carpet resembling a tongue, or strobe lights in shape of tonsils," smirks Catherine.

"Very funny, Willows! Well, then, there's no way in hell that I'm going through someone's throat to..."

Catherine hums an old kiddie tune, "...chick, chick here, and a chick, chick there...big old door lips, Sara just wants to stare... old McDonald had a farm, She's afraid to go in there!"

Sara gets out of the car and marches forward. "Well, hell! I am certainly no chicken!" She pushes the red doors open with her knuckles.

The blond follows her in with a chuckle. "I'd say you're more of a rooster!"

* * *

They both took a moment for their eyes to adjust to the dimness of their surrounding. 

Catherine puts her hand on her shoulder and whispers gently in her ear, "you lead, I'll follow."

Sara turns her head slightly, her cheek touching the tip Catherine's lips. She felt her heart beating faster again.

Catherine having this sudden urge to do something more, takes a deep breath and takes a step back. Instead she pats Sara on the back. "Uhm, go get 'em, tiger!"

Sara faces her. "What was that again?"

"Hey," Catherine says with a shrug, "little words of encouragement."

"In a stripper's club, Catherine?"

"What do you want me to say? Break a leg instead?"

Sara closes her eyes, not sure if she should be amused or not.

Catherine nudges her. "Let's see how creative you can get, Sara."

"Ahh," Sara replies, "you're mocking me. Fine! Watch the Sidle in motion."

Sara walks forward leaving the blond cocking her head a little to the side watching the sway on the brunette's hips. With a wicked grin she mumbles to herself, "oh, I'd love to see _you_ in motion..."

* * *

Catherine sits next to Sara who sat close to the stage. To her left was a gentleman in a suit, eyes ogling at the stripper in front of him. She whispers, "he looks like a lost paper salesman." 

With a smug grin, Sara replies, "must of gave the old 'going to a convention' excuse."

The stripper suddenly moves towards where the women were sitting. She was shaking, bending, swiveling, pivoting, twirling, hyperextending her body to the beat of the music. Sara sinks in her seat, obviously uncomfortable to move.

Catherine teases, "you can breath, you know. She's not gonna jump you."

"Aw, shut up, Willows!"

She digs in her pocket and fishes out money and shoves it in Sara's hand. She whispers in her ear, "go work your charm, Sidle."

Sara opens her palm and whispers back, "with five dollars, Catherine? You crazy?"

Catherine rolls up her eyes. "Then you tell her you'll come back and add tax later! I'm not made of money, you know. Hurry up!" She taps her watch. "We're on a tight schedule!"

Sara takes a deep breath, unsure where to put the bill. "Oh, bull!" whispers Catherine as she snatches the five dollar bill from her. She leans forward to the stripper and inserts it at the side of her skimpy thong. The stripper blows her a kiss. Catherine smiles sweetly in return. Sara all the while was impressed.

"Get over it, Sara." Huffs Catherine. "Like you haven't touched a woman before."

"Well, if you include dead people..." reasoned the brunette.

"Well," Catherine says with a sly grin, "then you need some breaking in with a live on, honey."

Sara's jaw drops. Her rosy cheeks back in full bloom.

* * *

The stripper did her number and was about to leave the floor when Catherine calls her. "Excuse me, Miss." 

She turns around. Catherine pushes Sara, "now," she whispers in her ear, "go get 'em, tiger!"

The stripper gets down from the stage and with a sly grin approaches Sara, "I'm Sheryl. What's yours, honey."

Sara gets up, puts her hand out and says, "Uh, I'm Ella. Ella Cinders. Please to meet you, ma'am."

Catherine shakes her head and rolls her eyes up at her introduction, "oh, brother..."

The stripper takes her hand and chuckles, "Ella Cinders, right. You are so formal and cute, Miss Ella Cinders." Not letting go of Sara's hand, she takes a step closer and adds, "I like that in a woman." Sara freezes, her cheeks now burning.

Catherine supresses a smile and murmurs. "I think we hit jackpot."

Sheryl, the stripper faces Catherine, "she sure is a shy one. Cute. Very cute."

Catherine folds her arm across her chest and looks at Sara who just stood there, her hand still being held by the dancer. "Ah, yes, I agree. Shy and elusive but after awhile you'll warm up to her. And then you'll adore her. Cute? Nah," Catherine cocks her head to the side, "she's more beautiful in my book."

"Ahh," Sheryl adds, "I see..." She raises her eyebrows to Sara and winks at Catherine. "Taken."

Sara questions, "meaning..."

The stripper was about to say something when Catherine jumps in, "and meaning, my friend Sar..., um, Ella has a request."

"Oh? A Request? Really?" Sheryl moves closer to Sara, "you name it, you got it, baby."

Sara slowly takes a step back, "can my friend take a picture of us? Together?" Catherine whips up her camera phone with a smile, amused at the way Sara is subltly trying to pull away from her.

"Sure!" She replies, putting an arm around Sara, bringing her closer again.

"Okay, guys. Smile!" Catherine takes the picture. She could see the forced smile on Sara's lips, how the stripper's body was sticking like glue to her, how her arms wrapped around the taller CSI like velcro. Catherine had this urge to lunge forward and take out the hussy like there was no tomorrow.

"How about another picture?" Suggested Sheryl. She then wrapped her leg around Sara's thigh. And Sara just stood there like a totem pole, afraid to speak, more afraid to move. A cry for help was seen in her eyes.

"We're done here, lady. Take your paws and tenticles off her!" Catherine says as she pulls Sara free.

They start to walk away when the stripper calls out laughing, "Hey, Cinderella, I can be your Princess Charming and we can make fairy tale stories together!"

Catherine snaps her neck, "Awww, shut up! Go shake a boob or something!"

They both get in the car with Catherine mumbling furiously to herself.

Sara looks out of the window with a silly grin on her face.

* * *

**r/r would be nice**


	7. Chapter 7

**Scavenger Hunt**

**chapter VII**

* * *

"Ummmm," Sara begins with a bit of hesitation, "you... okay, Catherine?" 

Lost in her own world, Catherine aparently not heard her, continues to mumble under her breath.

"Catherine?" She rests her hand on the older woman's arm, "everything fine? Need another caffeine rush or something?"

Startled, she jerks at Sara's touch, "huh? Oh, sorry, Sara. I was...uh, preoccupied."

"Okay then." Sara jokes, "back there in the club it looked like you were... a bit...you know..."

Catherine looks at her with her piercing blue eyes, a look Sara knows not to mess with. "...Jealous? Is that what you were going to say, Sara? That I was jealous?"

"I...I... I'm not, I didn't..." Sara could feel the blood rush up her head.

"Why would I be jealous of an alley cat?" Catherine shot back.

* * *

They drove in silence for a few seconds. Then Sara spoke up, " Uh, next on the list is 'an old pepsi glass bottle- can't be bought, must be found'." She shakes her head and sighs, "this is truly Hodges... something unimaginative, boring and useless." 

"I'd say shrewd." Catherine whispers with a sly smile, "really shrewd."

"Uh, Catherine," Sara begins, now looking at the strawberry blond, "are we still talking about Hodges here? Davis Hodges, who claims to know it all? Who also has this illusion that he and Gris are like, buddies? That David Hodges?"

The older CSI continues to drive, a smirk can be seen at the side of her face, "when was the last time you've seen a glass pepsi bottle floating around here? Sure, they still sell coke and root beer in glass bottles but pepsi? I really haven't seen one for awhile. I know it's truly a boring task to do but come on, you gotta hand it to him for putting it in."

Sara was silent , thinking. After awhile she whispers, "shrewd. Really shrewd." Catherine laughs out loud when she adds, "but still a jack ass for suggesting it!"

"My thoughts exactly, Sara." Grins the blond in agreement.

* * *

They drove to the nearest antique store. Catherine explained to the owner of their predicament and was allowed to poke around the storage area. "You break, you pay, lady," adds the owner in a delightful tone. In hopes that one of them might get clumsy and drop something worth hundreds. 

Knowing the owner was listening for any breaking noises, the two moved antique furniture and dusty boxes slowly. The brunette was the one doing most moving, lifting, pushing and reaching since she was more casually dressed and not in heels like Catherine. Sara was cursing under her breath, beads of sweat slowly forming around her forhead.

Catherine grabs a tissue from her purse and wipes the brunette's brow. Sara, suprised at the sudden gesture, shyly shows off her gap toothed grin and whispers a 'thanks'.

"Don't mention it." Beams Catherine in return.

* * *

After five minutes of shifting through dust filled boxes Sara triumphantly says, "jackpot, baby... Hey, Cath! Lookie here!" 

Catherine turns to her. She sees the brunette holding up an old pepsi bottle. In her excitement, she jumps to Sara's side and gives her a a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You are so wonderful!"

Again speechless at the unexpected response, Sara blushes as she touches the cheek that was kissed, leaving a smudge from her dust filled fingers.

Catherine suprised of her own action, "I'm sorry. I... I didn't...I was excited. The bottle..." She eventually lets out a long sigh, shrugs at Sara, unable to explain herself.

"It's okay," the brunette says with a mischevious grin, "I would've done the same."

Catherine taken aback, raises an eyebrow. And a smirk slowly crosses her face.

* * *

She takes out her cellphone and takes a picture of a smiling Sara, complete with the smudge across her cheek holding the bottle of pepsi. Number four was crossed off their list. 

The antique dealer pops in the storage room, "you ladies found what you're looking for?" His eyes were showing the need for dollars.

Sara sighs as she puts the bottle back, "Uh, no. Wrong bottle. It was suppose to be Jack Daniels."

The blond leaned toward Sara, "oh, god, we both need that later on!" Sara chuckles as they both leave the shop.

* * *

Catherine starts up the engine. 

But there was something at the back of Catherine's mind that she needed to clear up. She switches off the ignition and faces the brunnette, "Sorry for snapping at you awhile ago, you know before we went to the antique shop and all. Back at the club I was...let's just say a tad..."

Sara sits up straight in her seat. "Jealous?"

Catherine stares at her. "Would you let me finish, Sidle?" Sara mouths an 'okay' and she continues, "I was a bit... irritated. I mean obviously the stripper was a hussy looking for a quick buck, flirting with you trying to see your reaction, she was like a leech who hung on to you for dear life, I wouldn't be surprised if she started sucking your blood! She's not even photogenic, her costume was tacky. Her dark roots were showing- she's in dire need of a touch up. Her make up was too thick, her hair was way to bouncy. Her voice was squeaky like a mouse on the run. She was, I'd say forcing herself to the rhythm of the song, trying too hard. All in all she absolutely had no class. An amateur." She crosses her arms and leans back, "so, Sara, what did you think about her?"

Sara caught in the middle, not really sure why the blond was giving her a monologue. She gazes at the older CSI's face and chooses her words, "you're right. She absolutely had no class at all, Catherine. She was most likely jealous of you, being a real woman standing infront of her. Threatened by your presence. I mean of all the women I've met, you are the one who tops them all." She locks eyes with Catherine, " No one, I mean no one can ever hold a candle near you. "

Catherine sighs, "Sara, I have no time for your buttering up and trying to make me feel..."

The brunette interrupts her. "Have you ever heard me butter up people, Catherine? Have you ever heard me say something nice about anyone before? No? Well, 'coz I don't. And If I do, which is less than rare, then I really mean it from the heart, okay? So when I say you're at the top, you're at the top. No if's, but's or maybe's. So..." Her brown eyes hold the stare with those blue ones, "I have never met anyone like you. You are, by all standards the envy of every woman."

Catherine stares at her, digesting every word that was said. Then Sara saw the most beautiful smile grace across the older CSI's face. Catherine's mouth opened, but words seemed to fail her.

Amused, Sara laughs, "this is the first time I've seen you speechless. You okay? Did I over do it? I mean, I meant every word, Catherine. You better say something coz you're scaring me. Hope I didn't cause an aneurism or something." She takes Catherine's hand, "hello... you still in there?"

Catherine finally says, "wow! When you open up, you really open up!"

The brunette replies with a smile. "You're killing the moment, Catherine. And you do know it's not going to happen again, okay!"

She starts the car, "well, thank you, Sara. That was really sweet of you." Catherine teases her, "does that mean you envy me, too?"

Sara chuckles, "Nope, it's the opposite. So shut up and drive. We need coffee!"

"Coffee it be!" Laughed Catherine as they drove off but she wondered about was the opposite that Sara felt. Admiration? She wanted to know but she knew not to pressure the younger CSI as of the moment. She knew there will a right time to ask her. And this kept her spirits up.

* * *

"So what time is it now?" Catherine asks. 

Sara glances at her watch, "quarter to nine..." She does a double take and looks at her watch again, "quarter to nine?! Holy crap!! you mean it took us an hour to finish four stuffs?"

Catherine shakes her head, "we gotta double up time, Sara. You uhh... wanna to split or something? I mean I'd rather have us stay together but if you want..."

Sara looks at her amused. "So you get the car while I jog and run in all directions..."

The blond laughs, "I'm sorry, Sara. I forgot! Hell, We'll stick together, Sara. It's more fun anyway."

"And if we don't win?"

"Shoot. Who cares about a hundred bucks. I'm having the time of my life with you!"

"I wouldn't even think of separating!" Replies Sara with a laugh.

* * *

"Next on the list is..." Sara's eyes widen, "lizzard eggs?" 

Catherine cringes, "ewwww!"

Sara chuckles. "Ha! I bet you this is Nicky, being Texan and all. Thinks we'll freak out with these little reptiles. No problemo. I could get ..." She glances at her seatmate, "Catherine? You okay? It's just lizzard eggs and..."

"Sara!"

"What?"

"Eww! See? Now I got goose bumps thinking about lizard eggs!" Catherine rubs her free hand on her other arm.

Sara looks at her amused, "think of it this way, minature chicken eggs."

Catherine cringes at the thought. "Yeah, and when they hatch out comes ...yuck...lizards crawling all over. Augh! Now look at me! More goose bumps!"

Sara rests her eyes on the strawberry blond, "I have been looking at you. And you still are beautiful, goose bumps and all."

Catherine looks at her quizically. All she got was a warm smile from her, making her own heart skip a beat.

* * *

**r/r would be nice**

_it's my death bed, sue:D_


	8. Chapter 8

**Scavenger Hunt**

**chapter VIII**

**for FIM**

* * *

"What street is this?" Sara looks around. "Ah, I live two blocks from here, Catherine. Why don't we go," an impish smile can be seen on her face, "to my apartment?" 

Catherine looks at her coyly. "Uhhh...What are you suggesting, Sara?"

"Oh, here! Take a right here." Sara points to the next stop sign.

Catherine follows her directions. Still unsure what the brunette plans. But whatever it was, she knew she wouldn't say 'no'.

But still, this was Sara. "Uhhh... Sara..."

She interrupts her. "Trust me on this one, Catherine. How can I say it," the mischievous grin never leaving her face, "you'll thank me later."

Still the feeling of uneasiness sweeps across the blond's face. "I'm not really sure if I'm up to..."

Sara pats her arm and points, "Oh, take another right here."

Catherine follows dutifully, each second making her heart beat faster. Different scenarios swirling inside her head and she smiles at the pleasant thoughts of her and Sara.

"And you're smiling because..."

Catherine turns to the brunette who was watching her, a smug grin in place.

The older CSI could feel her cheeks burning. "I was... wasn't thinking of me and y...I was smiling because we...We are...I thought...crap." She sighed deeply, "I need coffee. You got coffee up there?"

And Sara laughs.

* * *

They park infront of her apartment complex. Sara digs out a key from her backpack and proceeds to walk upstairs. Halfway up she turns around, "you coming or what? We're not gonna take long, you know." 

Catherine, still at the bottom of the stairs, was watching every step the younger CSI took. She was mesmerized by the brunette's legs that went on forever. A thought crossed her mind of how it would feel if her legs were wrapped around her.

So they stood there. Sara waiting for her, Catherine dreaming and unable to take her eyes off her.

An evil grin crosses Sara's face. "I promise," she whispers loud enough for her companion to hear, "we'll be very quick."

* * *

Catherine could feel her feet weigh a ton as she took every step going up. The closer she got to where Sara was waiting, the heavier they felt. 

Sara tugs on her arm as they both continue up. "Come on, we can't waist precious time, Catherine."

They stand infront of her door, Sara slips the key inside the lock. Catherine could feel her heart turning, too.

And the door opens.

Sara goes directly to the kitchen and turns on the coffee maker. "Give or take a minute," she calls out to the blond.

Catherine inspects her place. There was a couch in the living room, a coffee table, a TV stand with a single plant on top but no TV. A bookcase, a computer table with a laptop and a CD player at the side. She checked out Sara's CD collection. Then smiled when she noticed it was arranged not only alphabetically by artist, but also by the CD covers.

"From light to dark."

She turned around to see Sara standing behind her with two cups of coffee. She stands up and takes one. "What was that you said?" She askes after taking a sip.

"The CD's also arranged from the light covers to the dark ones," explains Sara.

She raises an eyebrow, "wasn't that hard to do? I mean arranging them by artists, then by cover..."

"Actually, no. It was something I needed to do."

"More like OCD to me. I even noticed the way you arranged your books." Catherine points to the book case.

"Again," Sara grins, "It was something I needed to do."

"So what do you do when you're done arranging," Catherine sweeps her arm across the room, "all this?"

"Then I'm by the window." She shrugs her shoulders and walks off going inside the bedroom.

Catherine turns her head to the single window in the living room. There was a guitar leaning next to it. A smile crossed her face as she imagines Sara at sunset, the few rays of light catching her as she strums her guitar.

* * *

"Come in here." Sara calls out to Catherine, "we'll be real quick." 

Catherine's heart started racing again. But being a CSI taught her to be curious of everything and not to miss anything. She puts her coffee on the table and comes in the bedroom slowly.

A single bed, an open book and a sketch pad resting on top of her nightstand. A treadmill by the window. An ipod hanging on the handle bar. A world map on the wall. Again, no TV. She thought to herself, _'damn, what does she do for entertainment?_'

Then she noticed, no Sara.

"I'm down here." The brunette calls out.

She finally sees the younger CSI crouched down on all fours at the other side of the bed, a flashlight in hand lighting something between the crack by the wall. She cocked her head to the side then again assessed the brunette from behind.

"When you're done checking my butt you can hand me that paper by the night stand table." Sara points to the other side of the bed.

"Why are you down there?"

"Lizard eggs. I saw baby lizards crawl out a week ago so I'm assuming they left their empty shells around here and..." Sara didn't get to finish her sentence when Catherine let out a high pitched scream and jumps on the bed.

"You raise lizards, Sidle?! I know you're kinda odd, but this one tops it off!" Catherine was standing in the middle of the bed searching all floors for any tiny movement.

Amused, Sara stands up and adds, "you know, Catherine, they also can crawl on the walls and ceilings, right?"

The moment she finished her sentence, was also the moment she knew she shouldn't have said it.

Catherine snaps her neck in all directions at once: the floors, the walls and last, the ceiling. But that didn't stop her from jumping into Sara's arms.

Sara caught her, Catherine wraps her arms tightly around her neck. With a stare that could melt an ice cube in seconds, she breathes out an icy tone to her now protector, "if you drop me, I'm taking you down with me, Sara Sidle!"

The brunette whispers, "I would never dream of dropping you, Catherine Willows." She carries the blond to the living room and gently places the her on the sofa. "But I sure would love to go down with you anyway you want."

Sara walks back to the bedroom leaving Catherine again speechless, her jaw hanging open.

* * *

"Got one!" 

"One what?" Catherine calls out. "And whatever it is, I hope it's plastic!"

Sara walks to her palm open. "Empty shells, of course. I'd never dream of holding a live one, silly!"

Catherine curls up on the couch. "Okay, okay. Stop right there. Don't come any closer. You're fine where you are at, Sara. Just keep the distance between me and that egg thing."

Sara laughs out loud, "It's empty, Catherine. It's not gonna crawl up..."

Catherine reaches for a book. "You better shut up about creepy crawlers before I start throwing books at you, Sara. And I'll start with this." She looks at the title, " 'Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen?" Her eyes widen looking at the brunette, "you read this?"

"Good reading material, Cath." She takes a step forward. "I got other classics that..."

"Girl, you better stop behind the tracks," Catherine lifts the book above her head, "I'm really, honest to goodness dead serious when it comes to things that crawl, Sara. And if you value the writings of Jane Austen..." She shakes the book above her head.

Sara takes a step back, still enjoying the moment. "Okay, fine. Take a picture and we'll go."

"You take the damn picture. I don't want no lizard eggs stored in my phone! That's creepy!"

Sara shakes her head in amusement, takes out her phone and snaps a picture of the empty shells on her palm. "But you have a picture of a stripper, and that doesn't bother you?"

"You were in the picture standing like a totem pole with that stripper clinging to you like a pair of second skin so it's fine!" snaps Catherine. "Just throw that thing away and let's get the hell outta here."

"Okay, you win. I'll dispose of it. They're empty anyway." Sara walks to the kitchen.

Catherine calls out. "Hey, flush the damn thing down the toilet!"

"For goodness sakes! It's not like they're dead fish, Catherine!"

* * *

**r/r would be nice**


	9. Chapter 9

**Scavenger Hunt**

**Chapter IX**

* * *

Catherine drives out of the apartment complex. 

"Uh, Sara, about ..."

"No, I don't raise lizards as a hobby. They were just there."

"I wasn't going to ask you that! I was wondering..."

"Yes, I do have a life aside from arranging and rearranging my CD's and books, and clothes..."

"You arrange your clothes," Catherine glances at the brunette, "by color, texture and design?"

"Doesn't everyone?" Jokes Sara.

"Wow, I feel like a slob comparing my closet to yours then!"

"Nah, I just like to keep things in order." Sara focuses at Catherine as she drives, "I mean it's like one of the little things that gives me comfort. Our surrounding and sometimes life itself is full of disarray. Confusion and disorder can be seen everywhere. A lot of things are out of our control. Take the cases we're assigned to, really depressing! At least when I'm in my apartment, I could do something to change that. It maybe little but it eases my mind to think there are some things I can fix, have control over, no matter how small it may be. And no," she winks at the blond and grins, "my shirts are arranged by color only."

"Wow, you're deep, Sara." She raises an eyebrow and jokes, "I bet you a nickle you arrange the seasonings in your cupboard by color, too!" She taps Sara's thigh lightly, "and I can imagine you squeeze your toothpaste from the end and scew the cap back on tightly!"

"I do and my toothbrush faces the north and I flush three times. I also scrub the tiles after I shower. I like clean bathrooms with no soap suds left behind, girl."

Catherine's jaw drops once again.

Sara laughs out loud. "I'm exaggerating, okay? I don't do that! You can be gullible at times, Catherine!"

Catherine lets out a sigh, "hell, only with you! I was thinking of having you over to take a shower in my bathroom so it would be sparkling clean!"

Sara raises an eyebrow, and under her breath she whispers, "as long as you're in it, I don't mind..."

"Huh?" The blond turns her way, "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. You said it too softly."

Sara looks away with a silly grin, "it was nothing."

But Catherine heard every word. Now it was her turn to have an impish grin.

* * *

"So how come you don't have a..." 

"TV? I got addicted to this forensic show two years ago. And it was like I was bringing work home with me. So I sold it to this chick downstairs."

"Will there come a time when I can finish a sentence?"

"Hell, I know how you think, Catherine."

Catherine was quiet for a few seconds but then, "soooo... this chick downstairs..."

"Was a college student. I tutored her for awhile. It took like forever for her to understand formulas in physics. It was fun teaching her though. Brought back a lot of college memories of struggling through exams. She was really nice, too."

Sara notices the sour face on the blond, and adds, "would it make you feel better if I said it was her boyfriend who brought the TV down from my apartment and set it up in her room?"

Catherine opens her mouth to say something but still nothing comes out, only the sound of her breathing.

"You know, it's really cute when you become speechless and all I could hear is your deep breathing," teases Sara.

"Well, you do know there are _other_ better and more pleasurable ways make me breathe heavily, right?" mocks Catherine.

Now it was Sara's turn to drop her jaw.

* * *

They drove for a few minutes before Catherine broke the silence. "So what's next on the list? I hope there's no worms in a zip lock or bird poop on paper listed there." 

"A monkey."

"Excuse me?"

"Says here in black and white, ' a monkey'. Who the hell thought of this?"

"You gotta be kidding..."

Sara looks at the list again, "no, says here, 'a monkey'. Damn! The zoo opens at ten, you know. I'm not gonna wait that long!"

Catherine grins. "Ahh. I think I know the jerk who suggested it..."

"Who will be skinned alive when we get back." Adds Sara.

"I told Nick a few weeks ago he look best in a monkey suit than a peguin suit. Then he asks me what's the difference. I said he had a big tail between his legs and had the habit of climbing in and outta beds of women."

Sara laughs. "So it could be either a suit or a live monkey then, huh."

"I guess. It just says a ' monkey' on the list?"

"Wait a minute, Catherine. Turn left at the stop sign. I think I know a better way."

Catherine looks at her. "We could just go in a bridal shop and snap a picture of a suit."

"Trust me, honey. Turn left, turn left _now_!"

Catherine suddenly makes a left turn. Making the driver behind her honk his horn. "I don't need an accident or a ticket, Sara! Where we going anyway?"

"Ah, here we are. Pull over here."

Catherine parks the car to the side and looks at the sign. "Zeek's Garage Shop?" She looks quizzically at the brunette.

Sara beams a satisfied smile. "A monkey wrench, Catherine. Was never specified what kind of monkey, right?"

Catherine reaches out and squeezes her knee. "You are a genius, Sara!"

They both get down and enter the garage shop.

Catherine sees two big burly,hairy men with tattoo's decorating their arms. One slowly approaching them. He was holding a crow bar. She suddenly hooks her arm around Sara.

Sara lifts an eyebrow at her.

"For protection," whispers the blond, now walking the same stride as Sara's.

Amused, Sara asks. "You protecting me or the other way around?"

"You brought me here so you're protecting me, of course. I can't run fast in these heels!" Whispers the blond in return.

Sara shakes her head and tries to stiffle a smirk. Catherine clings to her tightly.

The big man with the crowbar suddenly flashes a hugh grin. "Hey, Sidle! Haven't seen you for in ages!"

Catherine's jaw drops again.

"Hey, Zeek. How's business treating you?" Sara extends her free arm and shakes the man's hand.

"Good, good! Got a lot of bikers comin' around this time of the year. You know, getting ready for the big trek cross country. When you ridin' with us again, Sidle?"

Sara shrugs her shoulders. "Work is tying me down, man. Maybe next summer I'll ride." Catherine's eyes goes back and forth at their conversation.

"I'll hold you to that then." He looks at Catherine, "and this chick wrapped around you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Sara takes her hand, "this is Catherine. Catherine, Zeek. Owner of this empire."

Zeek beams a smile and winks at Sara. "A new girlfriend, huh. Nice one, Sidle! Smooth!"

Catherine let's go of the brunette and in a hoarse shrill voice, "new...," her eyes widen, "new...girlfriend???"

Sara turns beet red in seconds. "No, no, no, no, no, no!"

Catherine steps next to Zeek and crosses her arms, Zeek looks up the ceiling, trying to find something to focus on. He tries to whistle but stops when he saw Catherine glare at him.

Sara lifts up her arms in explaining, "She's not my girlfriend, Zeek. Catherine and I work together as investigators. At the lab. On cases. We're together...I mean we work together, sometimes, on cases, we're...together. Kind of ...thing. At work...we, we're...work together..."

"Oh... okay then." He says, but still looked unconvinced, "whatever you say, Sidle."

"So, Sara," her tone was icy, "you did have a girlfriend then?"

But Zeek answers for her. "Sidle? Nah! A lot of chicks dig her, you see. We pair her off but she never shows up. She's dark, moody and mysterious. That gets their attention," He stoops down and grins at her, "like she got yours, blondie."

Sara's eyes widen. Catherine leans back, "I...I...I never...!" She looks at him straight in the eye, "I've decided I don't like you at all!"

He belts out a jolly laugh. "Ha! Ha! Ha! You know, blondie, you'll be good for Sidle here. And it looks like you need her, too! You look two look perfect for each other!" He puts an arm around the brunette, "Ah! No wonder you've been holding out!" He cocks his head and winks at Catherine.

Sara cringes. The only thing left for her to do is to burst out in embarrassment.

"Shut up and gimme a monkey wrench, Zeek." Sara takes his arm and moves away from him and heads off to where the tools are.

"Monkey wrench?" Asks Zeek.

Catherine fills him in, "Long story, you really don't want to know."

Zeek shugs his shoulder.

"Got it!" Sara says holding up a wrench walking back to them.

Catherine takes out her phone.

"No, no, no. I got a better idea. You hold the wrench." Sara hands it to Catherine. "There ya go. Hey, Zeek, pick up Catherine."

"What?" Both Zeek and Catherine say in unison.

"Aw, come on now. The boys would never expect this one! It's all in the name of fun!" Reasoned Sara.

"Hell, I don't want to be carried!" Catherine says holding the wrench as a defense weapon.

"I carried you back in the apartment awhile ago, you didn't complain!" Sara says a bit irritated.

"If it's you, sure!" Catherine nods her head his way, "but him, no way, jose!"

Zeek says slowly, "Sidle carries you...in her...apartment?"

Both women snapped their neck at him and in unison, "shut up, Zeek!"

He slowly takes a step back knowing not to mess with them.

Sara glares at her. "Then just hold the damn wrench up!"

She lifts up the single tool. "Fine!" Catherine snaps back.

A single click was heard from Sara's phone.

Catherine hands it to Zeek. "Here's the damn monkey thing!" She marches off to the car.

Zeek murmurs a 'thanks' watching her walk away.

Sara shakes her head, "I apologize, Zeek. I..."

"You carry her, Sidle?" Zeek flashed a huge grin. "Like married couple? You two are..."

"Aww! Shut up, Zeek!"

* * *

**r/r would be nice...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Scavenger Hunt**

**chapter X**

* * *

The moment Sara gets into the awaiting car, Catherine puts it in gear and speeds off. 

"Whoa! Slow down, Catherine!" She buckles her seatbelt fast.

"Slow down, my ass!"

Sara glares at her. "What's your problem?"

"You!"

"Me? What did I do? You're the one who stormed off!"

Catherine glances back at her. "You wanted that big blob to carry me! Of all the nerve..."

"Well, you let that stripper eat me alive...!"

"Oh, so it's like payback?" Snaps Catherine.

Sara shakes her head. "No,no,no. Nothing like that, Catherine." She rests her hand on the blond's shoulder, " I thought it would look cute. Really. A big, scary dude like Zeek carrying a beautiful girl with a wrench. I thought it would be an original Norman Rockwell. That's all."

Catherine was quiet for a moment. "Well, when you put it _that_ way. But still, there are certain people whom I'd allow to..."

"...carry you?" Sara flashes her famous grin. "I guess I'm one of the lucky ones when you jumped into my arms."

Catherine whispers under her breath. "The _only_ one."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing, Sara." A lopsided grin was seen on Catherine's face.

* * *

"Okay," Sara checks the list, "the last six are at the lab." 

"Oh, it'll be a piece of cake then." Catherine drives back to their department.

"Well," shrugs Sara, "depends how you see it."

The strawberry blond creasess her brow, "what do you mean?'

"Three strands of Sofia's golden locks?"

"Oh, god. That girl worships her hair more than anything else..."

* * *

It was nine in the morning but both women show no signs of fatigue. 

They breezed through the department aiming straight to Sofia's desk.

Sofia looks up from her paper work to see both women grinning back at her.

"Hey, Sofia!" Catherine greeted her cheerfully.

"What's up?" Sara flashing a smile, "any of the boys been here?"

"Nooo." Sofia looks at them suspiciously, "I'm not in heaven, am I? You two are never cheery together. In fact both of you are _never_ together." She checks her watch, "and it's way past both of your bedtimes, too."

Sara starts, "need a favor."

Catherine whispers,"actually a big one."

Sofia goes back to her paperwork. "No."

Catherine leans forward. "You don't even know what it is!"

"Don't matter, not interested and still a no." The younger blond doesn't look up from her paperwork. "So, shoo! Scoot. Go away. Got a lot of work to do."

"Sofia..." Catherine walks behind her.

"No. So go away. Go far, far away!" She points to the door, "and there's and excellent sign right there with red lights saying 'exit'."

Catherine walks behind the younger blond and rests her hands on her shoulder massaging them slowly. She leans within ear shot and whispers, "just a teeny, tiny, favor..."

Sofia's eyes flutter. Obviously savoring the massage. "Nooo... but ohhh, that feels...good..."

Sara folds her arms across herself and curses under her breath, "this is a load of crap..." She watches Sofia's reaction to Catherine's touch.

Catherine winks at Sara who glares back at her .A satisfied smirk forms within the strawberry blond's lips, "Sofia, we need a little something..."

The younger blond still enjoying the free massage mumbles, "no way, Catherine. I know you. It's never a 'little something'. So you and Sara can go to..."

"Okay, then. If you _really_ insist..." Catherine smoothly wraps a few strands around her finger, "we'll leave you," and suddenly pulls it backward, "in peace!"

"OUCH!" Sofia screams, jerking her head looking up at Catherine. "You pulled my hair, you bitch!"

"Ooops!" Catherine says pretending to be surprised, "damn bracelet," she rubs the golden link around her wrist, "the thing must of got caught in your hair! So sorry, honey!" She smoothes out the younger blond's hair.

"Get your bloody paws off me, Willows!" Sophia rolls her chair backward. Cursing under her breath.

Sara tries to cover up her laughing by pretending to cough out loud. She stops and swallows down hard when Sofia does a three sixty and glares at her.

"Come on now, honey," Catherine snakes her arm around Sara's waist pulling her away, "we'll leave Miss Curtis alone. Seems like she's in a fowl mood this morning!"

Sofia rubbing her head says out loud, "OUT! Both of you outta here now!"

The two CSI women head for the door.

Sofia calls out, "I'll get you for this, Willows!"

Catherine whispers in Sara ear as they walk away, "and your job now is to protect me from her evil vengance. Got it, babe?"

* * *

"One, two, three, four, five." Catherine counts the stands. "Damn, that must've really hurt!" 

Sara chuckles out loud, "she'll never forgive you for this!"

"Hey," Catherine lifts the two extra stands, "you think we could sell this to Greg and Hodges? You know they won't be able to get three feet from her before she blows fire down their throats."

Sara sits down in the break room, "you could've asked her, you know." She continues to smile watching Catherine inspecting the golden locks.

"You know she won't part with her precious hair. See her comb it afterwards with her fingers like she's consoling a puppy?"

Sara teases her. "You know you're in big trouble with Sophia, right?"

"Oh, she'll be fine," She says placing the strands of hair in paper napkin and folding it up. " I'll get her drunk again and..."

"Excuse me?" Sara's eyes almost poped out of their sockets, "you'll get her what again?"

"Drunk," Catherine says casually. "No biggie."

"You two went out ...like, together?"

Catherine laughs, "Not like that, dummy! Remember Brass looking for dates for two of his out of town buddies? Brass begged us so..."

Sara raises an eyebrow, "so you and Sofia agreed?"

Catherine smiles. "I promised her we'd have a good time."

"With two of Brass' buddies..."

"Oh, that didn't last thirty minutes. We gave all excuses after twenty minutes with them. " Catherine sits down next to her, "It was the afterwards that was fun! You should see Sofia, she was sexy as hell when she..."

Looking away, Sara takes a deep breath, "Well, I'm not really interested in..."

Catherine smirks, "you sure? I tell ya, after a few shots with Sofia, she gets all really touchy feely with..."

"I don't care, damn it!" Sara gets up and heads out the door. "We'll get this stupid game over so we all can go home! I'm getting really tired!"

"Oops, I hit a jealousy button there!" Catherine catches up, "come on, Sara," she says laughing, "you're the only one I'd want be with anyway!"

Sara stops dead on her tracks, she looks at her, "what...what did you say?"

Catherine, realizing what she said, blurts out, "Sofia made me promise not to tell but she swears like a sailor when she's drunk and flirts with anyone wearing jeans and I had to drag her outta there when she started singing 'YMCA' way out of tune on the karaoke. So there!"

Sara was quiet for awhile then asks, "so she gets touchy feely, huh..."

Catherine grins and nods a 'yes'.

"So," Sara continues, "where you the one wearing jeans?"

* * *

**r/r would be nice**


	11. Chapter 11

**Scavenger Hunt**

**Chapter XI**

* * *

The strawberry blond pauses and with a smug look, looks at Sara point blank, "I'm pleading the fifth." 

"I'm just asking, Catherine." Sara probes on, "just a yes or no question, you don't have to be defensive about..."

Catherine focuses on the brunette's eyes, "and if I was in jeans?"

"Well," Sara starts walking away, "then you were wearing jeans. So what?"

"Then I was wearing jeans."

Sara spins around facing her, "you and her...so she..." Her eyes were wide.

A smirk was seen on Catherine's face. "Flirted with me? If she did, would it be a problem with you?"

Sara could feel her cheeks burn. She shrugs her shoulders, "no, why would it be? I mean you have the right to..."

"She didn't." Catherine enjoyed watching Sara's flushed face.

Sara saw that wicked smile. "Excuse me?" She takes a step closer till they were inches apart, "I didn't get that." _Two can play the game,_ Sara thought to herself.

Catherine backs up to the wall, "she...she, uhh..." She takes a deep breath, "she didn't."

"Really...?" The brunette leans in.

Catherine suddenly felt all tingly, whispers in a hoarse voice, "She...she knows she's not..."

"Your type?" Sara whispers back. "Who is exactly," now it was her turn to smirk, "your type, Miss Willows?"

So they stood there. Catherine backed up on the wall with Sara inches apart, looking into each other's eyes trying to read each other. The only sound was their breathing.

For awhile it felt uncomfortable. But neither one dared to move first, as if afraid the unspoken spell between them would be broken. Seconds passed by which seemed like hours.

* * *

"HEY!" 

Both CSI slowly turned their heads to where the lone voice was coming from, cheeks barely touching each other.

"Hey, you two!" It was Sofia heading their way with eyes blazing with fire. "I need to talk to you two!" She was taking big strides dragging David Hodges by the collar along with her. He almost looked like a limp doll in her hands.

Sara and Catherine looked at each other with jaws haging. Sara suddenly grabs her hand.

Catherine grins at her and yells, "RUN!"

The two women ran through the halls laughing while shouting, "move, move, move!" to the startled employees who moved out of their way.

From a distance, Sofia's screaming voice can be heard, "YOU TWO ARE NOT GETTING AWAY WITH THIS!!!"

* * *

They ran in to one of the dark empty labs. 

Out of breath, and giggling in between, the two hid behind the door. Facing each other, Catherine was clinging to Sara's blouse, the brunette in return had her hands on strawberry blond's hips.

"Are they coming?" Catherine breathes into her ear.

Sara, keeping a look out whispers, "I don't think so. I think we're safe now..."

Then their eyes met again. And the same surge of energy flowed through their veins.

Catherine's hand gently slides to the back of her neck brushing the brunette's cheek with her palm on the way. Sara shivers slightly at the touch as she cocks her head sideways learing in closer.

"Sara..."

It was their magical moment.

That was broken again in seconds when someone suddenly flipped the lights on.

* * *

"What the...?" It was David Philips, the assistant coroner. "Sara? Is that you?" 

She turns her head. "Uh, hey, David. Um, you doing a double?"

He looks at her awkwardly, "Uh, yeah. I'm covering for Peter." He stretches out his neck a bit, trying to see who Sara was with. "What, uh..."

Sara takes a step back scratching the back of her neck, revealing a slightly red cheeked Catherine.

The older CSI smiles at him shyly, "hey, David."

David's jaw drops, "oh, god..." He takes off his glasses, wipes it with the sleeve of his lab coat and puts it back on again. Making sure he saw was right. He looks at the two women and drops his jaw again, "oh, god..."

"Uh, David..." It was Catherine who took a step forward.

He takes a step back mumbling. "Oh, god. Oh, god. Oh, god..."

Catherine raises her voice, "David!"

Startled, he looks at her. His eyes then shifts to Sara, then back to Catherine. And the mumbling started again, "oh, god. Oh, god. Oh, god..."

Sara leans on the wall and folds her arms, shakes her head in amusment. "oh, good god..."

Catherine glares and hisses at her, "you're not helping!" She snaps her fingers getting his attention. "David...David! Yo, David! What are you doing here?"

"I...I...I don't know." He looks at his hands and takes a step back, turns off the lights and walks out the door in a daze, "I don't... know..anymore..."

Sara stands next to Catherine and breathes in her ear, "so where we're we?"

Catherine looks at her wide eyed, "Sara! Get a grip!"

The brunette grins, "Okay then!" She then puts her hands on Catherine's waists and pulls her closer, "I now have a very good grip!"

Catherine laughs, "Oh, stop!"

They looked at each other and burst into a giggling fit, like little pigtailed school girls pushing a boy off the swing during recess.

* * *

Catherine did not complain when Sara was holding her close. She actually felt relaxed and comfortable in her arms. 

But still, they had a mission to complete.

"Sara..."murmurs Catherine in her arms.

"Hmmm?" Sara answers lazily.

"Hodges is here, baby." Catherine snuggles closer. "Hodges is in the building."

"So?" Sara was busy feeling in heaven.

"So," Catherine looks up and their eyes meet, "that means the'yre done with the first six tasks..." She rubs Sara's back lightly.

"So..."

"So then if Hodges got to Sofia..."

Sara tilts her head to the strawberry blond, "they got five more to go like us." She brushes her lips on the older CSI's forehead, "do we have to?"

Catherine tugs on her collar, "Sara, we got this far." Their lips were inches apart, "but if you think..."

Their lips barely touching, Sara whispers, "yeah, we got this far..."

Catherine exhales slowly, "...yeah, we did... get this far..."

It was the moment they wanted and danced around a few times. But now it was real.

Sara lightly carresses Catherine's face and touches her hair, running her fingers slowly through her long tresses.

And finally their lips touched.

Catherine moans into the kiss as she pulls Sara closer. Their first kiss was soft and tender which lasted a few seconds. But it was the most beautiful moment they both have felt. Within it they felt comfortable, a sense of belonging and security. Their kiss was not hungry and demanding. Nor was it done out of lust or want. Their kiss was slow and soft, gentle and easy.

They break after a need for air. Sara rests her head on Catherine's. All they could see was each other.

"Wow..."Whispers Catherine as she bites her lower lip.

Sara shyly smiles at her. "You're amazing, you know that, right?" She touches the older CSI's cheek with the back of her fingers, "you are truly amazing, Catherine Willows."

Catherine cups the brunette's face in her palms. "You're making me feel amazing." She tiptoes and kisses Sara lightly on the lips.

Sara smiles, "would it be okay if I asked you out?" She continues to hold Catherine close.

"Like on a first date?" Catherine hooks a couple of stray strands of Sara's hair behind her ear.

Sara nods. She leans in to Catherine's touch. "I'd like to take you out to dinner. Somewhere really nice. The two of us..."

"Dancing. I love dancing." Catherine adds, "can we go dancing afterwards?"

Sara grins, "sure, anything you want. If we win, with the two hundred dollars we can have the whole shebang, baby. We did get this far anyway."

Catherine cocks her head to the side and smiles mischievously, "you know, with that dough it could cover the cost of a hotel afterwards..."

Sara lifts an eyebrow and her grin stretches even wider across her face. "I really... really love how you think, Miss Catherine Willows."

"First," Catherine says smoothly as she brings Sara closer, "we need to kill Greg and Hodges off..."

* * *

**r/r would be nice...**


	12. Chapter 12

**Scavenger Hunt**

**chapter XII**

_my laptop's is still being serviced...so i'm typing this and sneaking it in at work...mistakes are of course ARE ALL MINE. yahoo! _

* * *

Sara calls Greg on his cell phone, "Greg? Yeah, this is Sara. Where you at now? Really? Yeah, we just got back to the department. Hodges? He's here? No, haven't seen. Ahh, very clever that you two separated! Heard from Hodges yet? No?" She winks at Catherine and continues to talk to him, "Yeah, you are an idiot to suggest Sofia's hair. She will kill you and you know that. No, haven't seen Sofia yet. Hm? You're looking for a monkey? Try a monkey wrench, dummy!" Sara laughs, "here's a suggestion, Greggo. Remember the place where I brought my bike to have it fixed last year? Yeah, that place! Okay, you're heading there now? Cool beans! See ya!" 

Catherine looks at her confused. "I thought the plan was to get rid of them instead of helping them!"

Sara smiles, "you've seen what a giant Zeek is, right?"

"I don't understand..."

Sara's smile widens. "You just don't go in there up front and ask Zeek for a monkey wrench, babe!"

"So..."

"Knowing Zeek he'll have fun with Greg first, like scare him till he pees in his pants before he'll let him even see a wrench!"

"Oh, good golly, Sara!" Catherine bites her lower lip, "I am so turned on by your evil thoughts!"

* * *

Catherine catches up with Hodges, "hey!" 

He turns around and holds up his hand, "stay away, Catherine. I'm already in trouble trying to cut a few strands of Sofia's hair!"

She puts her hands on her waist. "You could've asked her, dork!"

"So," he eyes her carefully, "that's how you got the stands from her?"

Catherine looks over her shoulder making sure no one can hear her, and leans in to whisper, "do you know what she loves?"

"No." He looks at her curiously. " What are you trying to do, Catherine?"

"Helping out, dummy! Do you want to know or what?"

"Okay, okay!" He leans in.

"Well," she lowers her voice, "she has a big thing for massages. That's how I got mine."

"Massages?"

Catherine nods her head, "I just went behind her and gave her shoulders a massage. She was oohing and ahhing in delight, man."

He looks at her in disbelief. "Just like that?"

She looks at him in the eye with all seriousness, "have I ever lied before, Hodges?"

He takes a deep breath. "A massage, huh."

Catherine winks at him. " A massage."

"Thanks!" He walks to the direction where Sofia's department was. He turns around, "Catherine! I owe you one!"

When Hodges turned the corner, Catherine breathes out, "Such a sucker."

Sara comes out from the corner grinning. "You know she's going to break his fingers the moment he touches her, Catherine."

Catherine looks at her sweetly, "Baby, I'm determined to go dancing!"

* * *

"Okay," Sara reads the list, "Ecklie's new chair." 

Catherine snatches the paper from her, "Ecklie's new chair? How the hell are we going to get Ecklie's chair? He sits on that thing like a king!"

Sara shrugs her shoulder, "I don't know." Then she displays a devious smile, " but I sure would like to do something more than take a picture of it."

Catherine's eyes shine, "ooohhh, okay! Payback time!" She squeezes the brunette's hand as they formulated a plan.

* * *

Catherine winks at the secretary who gives her a blank stare as she knocks on Ecklie's door. 

He calls from the inside, "Come in!"

She breezes in and sits down, "Conrad, I'd like to switch my night off from next tuesday to tommorow night. There's this thing I'd like to attend."

He looks at her shaking his head, "You can't. You're scheduled to do a double. And this is such a short notice, Catherine."

She put her best foot foreward whining. "But Conrad, I was invited to go to this really ..."

He holds up his hand stopping her at midsentence, "Catherine, no. That's it."

She pouts and leans foreward showing a little clevage, "but I had my heart set on wearing this really tiny, low cut..."

He blinks twice trying to focus his attention back on her face. "Catherine, I can't allow..."

"Well," she stands up before he starts to drool, "okay then. Don't say I tried. I'm getting coffee, you want coffee?"

He looks at her for a moment, "how come you're still here? You worked a twelve last night and you're coming back tonight. So why are you still here?"

She shrugs her shoulder, "Ummmm, I love my work? Hell, I don't know." She stands by the doorway, "I'm getting coffee. Come on, Conrad, let's go get some before I high tail it outta here."

He leans back on his chair, "I just had a cup, Catherine."

She rolls her eyes. "Aw, come on now. Just walk with me then. I need to complain about something and you're it."

He takes a deep breath, "I'm not so sure I'd like to hear it then."

She puts both hands on her hips and looks at him in all seriousness, "it's about Sara Sidle."

"Ah," with a new found pleasure written across his face, "that's a subject worth hearing." He smiles and stands up. Heads out the door with Catherine.

Sara Sidle is _always_ an interesting topic.

* * *

Sara stands up and puts down the magazine that was hiding here face. She watched as Catherine and Ecklie turned the corner to the break room. 

She picks up the screw driver and walks in. Ecklie's secretary stops typing from her computer and looks at Sara with a 'what-the-hell-are-you-doing' look.

Sara looks at her hopefully. "Uhh, his new leather chair needs a little bit of adjustment?"

The secetary shrugs her shoulder, "Sidle, whatever you're planning, it better be good."

Sara smiles sweetly, "just promise you didn't see me, Sue."

"Not even your shadow, honey," the secretary winks at her. "Oh, and you better hurry."

Sara smiles as she opens the door to his office. She takes a picture and gets on all fours ands starts fiddleling under his chair unscrewing a bolt. She was out of his office in less than a minute. Just in time for Ecklie to come around the corner holding a cup of hot, steaming coffee.

He closes his door and in seconds there was a loud thud followed by a shrill cry.

"AUGHHHH!!! HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!"

Sara casually walks by the secretary's desk who gave her a thumb's up sign in approval.

Catherine smirks as she crosses off number five.

* * *

**r/r would be nice**


	13. Chapter 13

**Scavenger Hunt**

**Chapter XIII**

_mistakes and misspelling are mine-no alpha, no beta, nor delta. now i made a sorority..._

* * *

Avoiding the rush of people running in to Ecklie's office, Sara meets Catherine at the far end corner. 

She thought the older CSI looked really cute leaning on the wall with a satisfied smirk on her face. She takes her hand in hers and they walk the now empty hall. "I guess he wouldn't lean back on his expensive chair with a hot cup of coffee again."

Catherine winks and squeezes her hand, "you know, Sara, with minds like ours we can slowly take the whole department out."

Sara leans and kisses her on the cheek, "I'd rather take you out dancing first, baby."

"Do you dance, Sara?"

"No," Sara replies with a huge smile, "but I'll do anything to get you close."

Catherine seductively whispers, "If we hurry I'll give you free lessons in my office after we turn down the blinds and lock the door."

Sara skips happily down the hallway. "Four more to go, baby!"

* * *

"Okay," Catherine glances at Sara, "how are we gonna get this one?" 

Both women stare at task number four on the little piece of paper.

Catherine shrugs her shoulders. "How are we going to get a surprised look from Brass? He already has that doe eyed look and his eyebrows don't get any higher than it already is. Anyway, when was the last time anyone seen him surprised? Never! He's calmier than a sleeping cat!"

Sara raises an eyebrow, "calmier?"

"Oh, pretend there's a word like that!"

"Hmmm." Sara scratches her chin, thinking. Then her face brightens up. "Aha! I've got it!" She puts her hand on the blond's shoulder, "but, this really depends on you, Catherine. If you think it's a dumb, desperate idea..."

"Sara," She looks at her exasperated, " all we need is to surprise Jim. I don't really care how it's done!"

The brunette takes a deep breath. "Well...I thought... you know...but it will take a lot of guts from you." She shakes her head, "no, it's a dumb idea. Never mind. We'll think of something else that..."

"Spit it out, Sara! Look,"Catherine taps her watch, "it's past nine. I'm getting hungry and sleepy plus we're both working tonight, so you better dish out your idea or we'll be here forever! And don't give a sneaking behind his back and say 'boo!' to him. That has never worked..."

Sara mumbles something fast.

"Excuse me?"

"Youflashbrass."

Catherine looks at her wide eyed. "Say again? I don't think I heard right."

Sara said it slowly. "You... flash... Brass..?"

Catherine stares at her. Expressionless.

Sara lifts up her hands, rambling. "I know it was a dumb thought! I'm sorry for thinking of it, Catherine. I truly am! I'm tired, you're tired. It just popped in my mind! I was..."

"Excellent!"

Now it was Sara's turn to stare at her. "Say again?"

Catherine claps her hand in joy. "Brilliant, Sara!"

She looks at the older CSI dumbfounded. "You...you really going to..." Sara takes a deep breath, "flash Brass?"

"Why not?" Catherine continues to grin at her.

"Flash...Brass?"

"Oh, this is perfect! I've never seen Jim really surprised in years!" She pulls Sara towards the station, " this is gonna be fun. Come on!"

Sara follows her in a daze. She whispers, "You really...going to...flash...Brass???"

* * *

"Hey, Jim!" Catherine motions him to his office, "can we see you for a minute?" 

Capt. Brass gives them a sleepy smile as he walks towards them. "Ahhh. The front runners! Congratulations, ladies."

The three walk in and Catherine closes the door behind her.

He sits behind his desk and folds his arms across his chest. "You two did Ecklie?"

Sara grins showing off her gapped teeth. "What makes you think it was us?"

He nods his head at in approval. "No one else would dare that stunt!"

Catherine pats Sara's shoulder, "it was her idea, Jim."

"And a work of genius it was, I wish I was there to see him scream. That would have been a kodak moment..." Brass leans back and with a happy smile. "Word is that a toupee might cover the big red blotch on his head. You did good, Sara. I'm proud of you, girl!"

"So," Catherine starts, "you're our fourth task."

Brass raises an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"

Catherine shakes her head, "like you didn't know. You could've act more surprised than that, Jim."

"And take my picture?" He smiles contentedly. " Come on, girls. Where's the fun in that?"

Catherine nods at Sara and takes a deep breath, the brunette takes out her phone. Brass awaits to be surprised.

"Here goes nothing..." Catherine suddenly lifts up her blouse and bra, exposing two perfectly rounded breasts.

It was Sara's whose jaw drops at the sight, her eyes transfixed.

And Brass didn't even bat an eyelash. "Well, whenever you two are ready."

Seconds pass.

Catherine looks at him, surprised. "Nothing?"

Brass scratches his head, "Catherine, this is Vegas! Show me something that I haven't seen. Oh, by the way, honey," he gives her a wink, "you still got it, babe. Those are beautiful."

Catherine pulls her top down. And barely a whisper, "nothing... at all?"

He smiles, "no offense but..."

Sara shakes her head in dissapointment when the garmet came down. Then a smirk forms at the corner of her mouth. She puts her hands on Catherine 's waist pulling her close.

Surprised, the older CSI mumbles, "Sara, what the..?"

"Shhhh..." Sara winks at her. And she puts her hand on Catherine's lower back and slowly snakes her fingers lightly going upward to the strawberry blond's neck earning an audible hitch in Catherine's moan.

Sara playfully touches the rim of her ear with her lips, breathing into the lobe gently. Catherine's moan was more audible and responds by leaning into Sara's touch as her own pulse raced.

The world around them was suddenly forgotten.

"Oh, god, Sara...don't stop..." Catherine's husky voice was more of a whisper begging for more. Her hands finds it's way around Sara's waist. One hand slowly makes it's way under the brunette's shirt, pausing at the middle of Sara's back, making the brunette gasp.

Sara cocks her head sideways as she brings her lips along the older CSI's nape, trailing butterfly kisses along the soft, downy expanse till she reached Catherine's jawline and making her way to the corner of the older CSI's lips.

Catherine's lips partly open anticipating the kiss. Sara is one not to dissapoint but she didn't want to satisfy her new lover just yet. She playfully touches her lips lightly with Catherine's. The older CSI leans in but the brunette complete with a cocky grin backs up a little. The teasing and torture was getting to Catherine who decides to digs her finger nails into Sara's back causing the brunette to wince in pain.

"Catherine..." She whispers her name and watches the older CSI unconsciously bite her lower lip. A gesture Sara found too arousing and sexy as hell.

Sara suddenly captures her lips in hers. Catherine in return pulls her closer deepening their kiss. This time their kiss was more of hunger, need, and desire. Both worlds colliding in one single kiss, a kiss full of passion and want. Sara's fingers entangle within Catherine's long strawberry blond hair.

Catherine's hands were now both under Sara's shirt, fingers roaming freely- feeling every inch of skin making the brunette's own skin tingle with excitement. Both were moaning into the kiss, tongues dueling for dominance till Sara gives in.

They break after much needed air, panting and breathing heavily- looking into each other's eyes. The feeling of wanting to do more raced through their blood.

Then it was a moment of reality where they were. In Brass' office.

Both turned their heads to where they last saw him.

It was Catherine who uttered his name. "Jim...?"

Capt. Jim Brass had that blank expression on his face, his jaw hanging open, where both women could count his teeth if they wanted to. He did not blink nor make a sound. His face was beet red, sweat slowly trickled down his forehead. His knuckles were white from clutching the sides of his desk for dear life.

"Catherine," Sara looks at him closely, "check if he's breathing."

"Jim?" Catherine pokes Brass' arm who still hasn't responded. "You think we killed him?"

"Heart attack maybe?" Sara shrugs her shoulder. "I think we invented a killer kiss," she takes out her phone and snaps a picture of Brass who still hasn't moved a muscle. "I don't think we can kiss like that infront of anyone ever again, baby. It's a health hazzard!"

"Jim?" It took awhile for Catherine to pry Brass' hands from clutching the table.

Sara leans on his table and whispers to Catheirne. "Flash him again. Might take him out of his trance."

Catherine stares at Sara, "that didn't do anything to him, dummy!"

Sara shrugs her shoulders, "well, sure did something to me! Would it be too much to ask for a private show in the near future?"

Catherine shakes her head sighs. "You're truly adorable, Sidle, but we need to focus here!"

"I have been focusing on you! Damn, couldn't you pop those babies out one more time?"

Catherine closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Sara..I'm trying my best not to pop a blood vessel here..."

Sara grins and holds up her hand, "Okay, I'm behaving now!"

The older CSI kneels next to Brass and pats his hand. "Jim? Blink twice if you're still with us, honey."

Captain James Brass responds a way any hot blooded normal male would do. He slowly looks first at Catherine who was besides him then at Sara who was still infront of him. Then his grin slowly covered his face. "Ladies, in my book..you are winners. That was so freaking hot..!"

Catherine stands up and kisses the top of his head. Then grins at Sara. "He'll make it out of here alive."

* * *

**r/r would be nice...**

**p.s. welcome back, sue.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Scavenger Hunt**

**Chapter XIV**

**special thanks to andrea.**

**mistakes are mine. had to put this out in memory of sara's departure...!**

* * *

"So you two...?" He points to Sara and then to Catherine, "you two...you and you..."

Sara grins and puts her arm around Catherine's waist pulling her closer. "Yes, Jim. We two." The older CSI rests her head on the brunette's shoulder nodding a 'yes' towards Brass.

He shakes his head and his grin keeps on getting wider. "Wow, I'd never guess..."

Catherine teases him. "And you call yourself a detective."

He shakes his head, "No,no, no. I knew you two were flirting around each other for years. But I never expected you guys to do anything about it since..."

"Excuse me?" Sara raises and eyebrow.

Catherine's jaw drops. "For... years?"

Now it was Brass who had a satisfied smile. "Girls, I've watched you two dance around each other. I've seen the stolen glances, the little flirtations, the bantering. The so called arguments which I would say, hmmm...sexual tension? It was no big secret! Actually, " he leans back on his chair, "it was entertaining, ladies."

"What do you mean 'no big secret'?"

He sighs. "Sara, you were a nervous wreck when Catherine was in the desert alone when her truck broke down two month ago. You were pacing up and down the hallways biting your nails! You kept on bugging Gil that you wanted to come and help find her. You even packed a month's supply of water at the back of your truck. As you said, 'just in case she's dehydrated' and all. I think you secretly collected all the first aid kits in the building!"

Sara shrugs her shoulders, "I was concerned for a fellow worker..."

Brass chuckles, "You threatened Grissom that evening with quitting if you weren't able to come and find her, Sara. I saw your reaction of relief when you saw Catherine sitting on the hood of her truck listening to her ipod while she waited for us."

Catherine beams at Sara, "Really? You were worried?"

"Well," Sara shrugs her shoulders, "I was. What would life be without Catherine Willows?"

"Aw...you are so sweet, Sara dear." Catherine kisses her on the cheek making Sara blush.

"So, " Brass raises his eyebrows at both of them, "how long have you two been together?"

Catherine and Sara looks at each other. The brunette shrugs her shoulders, "give or take..." she glances at Catherine, "less than one...maybe?"

Catheine nods, 'yeah, less than one..."

Brass scratches his chin. "One year, wow! All this time you two were together! Nearing a year and we never knew..."

The older CSI raises an eyebrow at him. "Ummm, no Jim. Not a year..."

Jim Brass looks at her. "One month? Still, it must be hard for you guys keeping it quiet! Funny how we never even suspected that..."

This time it was the brunette who spoke up. "Uh...not a month, Brass. It's uhh..."

Catherine nods her way, "not even close..."

Brass forehead creases in confusion. "I dont understand."

Catherine shrugs her shoulder looking his way. "Make that less than, give or take an hour?"

Sara checks her watch and confirms, "More like thirty three minutes, to be exact."

Brass' jaw drops again in surprise.

Sara puts her arm around Catherine, "You think we get more points by surprising Brass twice in ten minutes?"

* * *

"So okay, Sara, this is more your area." 

Both women are standing in the breakroom staring at the game controls of the play station.

Sara shrugs her shoulders, "why do you think I'm able to score a five thousand? Nick's the one who put this in. He gets the high scores. he knows he can run circles with this stupid game"

"Well, you play. I've see you beat Greg more thn once.You're really good with..."

Sara cocks her head to the strawberry blond and lifts an eyebrow, "you watch me play? Really?"

"Uhhh," Catherine picks up a remote and hands it to the burnette, "so what if I did? You're nice to watch." She winks at her.

Sara grins and takes the remote. "That's sweet."

"I guess you gotta play against me then, huh." Catherine picks up the remaining remote and sits on the sofa. "How do you turn this contraption on?" She shakes the remote.

"It's not wireless like the Wii game." Sara shakes her head and sits next to her, "first you press this do hicky button here," she presses the 'on' button.

"I think we should get a Wii then." Catherine pauses and elbows the brunette, "what's a Wii? Is that more fun than this car racing game thingy?"

Sara exhales deeply and ignores her. "Let me set this to two players." Catherine watches her, impressed at Sara fiddling with the buttons on the remote. "Okay, that's your red car there." She points to the screen. "And I'm the blue."

"Why do you get blue? I like blue! They match my eyes!"

"Fine!" Sara switches remotes.

With a smug grin Catherine whispers a 'thank you'.

"Okay," Sara lifts up her remote, "this one here is to pick up speed, that's all you need to know about this button. And..."

"Ahh, easy." Catherine leans back, "okay, lets go. Fire away!"

"And this one here," Sara continues, "is how you turn left and right passing cars. And this one here in the front..." She glances at the older CSI, "Cathrine, look where I'm pointing!"

"No need to get touchy!"

"I'm sorry, I'm tired." She touches Catherine's hand, "just listen, okay? I want this over."

Catherine leans next to her, "I'm also sorry, babe." Then she beams at her, "so, is this like our first official little spat as...lovers?"

Sara grins, "I guess so. It's kind of cute how we readily apologize!"

"Well," Catherine leans forward and stares at the screen, "don't get used to it, babe. Coz it's gonna be a long while before I appologize that fast. Come on now, play ball!"

Sara sighs, "I'll let you get away with the 'play ball' thing for now." They both press the start button and both cars on the screen picked up speed zooming through the highway.

For a few seconds both women were quiet, concentrating on the game. After awhile Sara comments, "you're pretty good, babe, for a beginner."

"Beginner, my foot!" Catherine exclaims, "I've been drivng fast since I was twelve, this game has no challenge! Ha! Overtaking three cars at one time. Feel my breeze, Sidle!"

"Oh, really?" Sara leans forward, "what do you say about that?" Sheovertakes Catherine's blue car.

Catherine steers her car to the left, overtaking Sara again. "Since it's my first game, babe. I've decided not to let you win."

"Ah, still the arrogant, humble woman. I like that, honey. One of the qualities that I admire." Sara picks up speed. "But no, I always play to win." She again overtakes Catherine's blue shiney car.

* * *

Both women were were leaning forward. A vice grip on the remotes, pressing buttons for dear life. It was hard to see if they were blinking, it was even harder to see if they were breathing. their wrists simutaneously tilting back and forth the remotes as if it was a steering wheel.

* * *

Greg walks in the break room followed closely by Hodges. 

"Damn! They beat us to it!" Whispers Greg. He stands besides the women and watches the game.

Hodges lifts his hands in surrender, "That's it. I'm done. My neck is aching from Sofia's grip. I'm going home."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Greg says in a hoarse whisper pulling his shirt.

Hodges almost trips, "What the...?"

Greg points to the TV screen. Hodges follows his gaze, drops his jaw and was transfixed.

"This is freaking hot!"

Both women, without missing a beat said in unison, "Shut up, Greg!"

Sara and Catherine were now way over the scores of five thousand, with no hints of slowing down. Sara was biting her lower lip manuvering her car through the busy streets. Catheine was doing the same, avoiding bystanders and other vehicles, picking up speed every now and then and picking up points.

Hodges flips his cellphone and whispers to someone at the other end.

Three more people from the lab quietly shows up in seconds. Two of them called two more people. Soon there was a crowd behind the women. Whispers of betting started to arise. Quiet chants of 'go, Sara!' and 'let her eat dust, Catherine' arise. Employees who came in innocently to get coffee now stood with the crowd. A few pulling out dollar bills to join the bet.

Ecklie passes by the breakroom and takes a step back as he sees the gathering, "What the hell...?"

A few whispered "Shhh...!" to his general direction.

He steps in to see what the commotion was all about. He opens his mouth to say something but nothing comes out when he sees the players.

Sara and Catherine both unfazed of what was happening behind them. Their concentration on winning was intense. Both cars were now neck to neck on the street. Their scores kept on rising. The excitment in the room was building.

Precious minutes pass by.

Ecklie glances at his watch and takes a deep breath, "Everybody back to work. Fun's over. Come on now...back to work." He stands there with both hands on his hips, trying to look authorative.

Murmurs from the crowd pick up. One by one they hesitantly leave. Greg and Hodges remain, suprisingly Sofia and Brass were there. Ecklie raises an eyebrow at Greg.

Greg points to Hodges. "Me and him are off the clock, Sir."

Ecklie turns to Brass and Sofia.

Brass smoothly responds, "Sofia's under my wing. And we're on a break." Sofia tries to supress a giggle and clears her throat instead.

"Fine." Ecklie looks at the seated women. "Go home, girls. That's an order. Now!" And he walks out the breakroom .

Catherine smirks when a thought formed in her head. Keeping her eye on the screen with her fingers on the remote, she slowly leans close to the brunette and whispers in her ear.

Sara suddenly breaks out of her trance, glances at the older CSI and accidentally crashes her car making Catherine win.

"YES!" Catherine jumps up triumphantly.

"Damn!" Hodges whispers.

Greg raises his fist in the air, "I knew it!" He pats Catherine in the back and hands her half of the bet. "The odds were against you, Cath. But I knew it! You are my rock goddess!"

"How? She was just learing how to play!" Hodges faces Greg as they walked out.

"Simple," Greg flashes a grin, "I've rode with Catherine twice chasing a perp on wheels. She's the ultmate car driver, man!"

Brass' smile was ear to ear, "never estimate the power of women." He hands them the winnings, "Nick and Warrick didn't make it past the governor's office."

Sofia looks intently at Catherine, "What did you say to her?"

Catherine smiles sweetly, "I can't say, Sofia." She rests her hand on the brunette's shoulder, "come on, Sara."

Sara stands up, dazed. Catherine gently whispers, "Come on, babe. let's go home." And they walk out the breakroom, hand in hand.

Sofia's mouth hangs open.

Brass pats her shoulder, "gotcha!"

* * *

**r/r would be nice**


	15. Chapter 15

**Scavenger Hunt**

**Chapter XV**

_mistakes and misspelling are mine. english is not my first language...thats my excuse. My bad for not updating. I've been having converstions with an angel. _

_gelukkig nieuwjaar, y'all!_

* * *

"...what the hell?" Sofia stood there watching the two women walk out of the break room. 

Brass pats her on the back, "This would be a good time to blink, Curtis. Come on, break's over."

* * *

Catherine counts the money, "... thirteen, fourteen...fifteen." She elbows Sara as they walked the halls, "Two hundred fifteen dollars, babe! Oh, and..." 

Sara continues walking quietly. She hardly even heard what the strawberry blond was saying. She thought maybe because she was tired, over worked, needed to lay down and sleep for a week. But then she knew it wasn't any of that at all. It was what the woman walking beside her, what she whispered in her ear.

"...and so I thought maybe I could buy one of those games, after we split the money. I know that Lindsey has been begging me for it. I've always put it off because I didn't want her to be a game junkie. You know, spending her hours sitting infront of a screen like a zombie and all. But then again I could set limits like only on the weekends, after she's got her assignments and projects done and so. Maybe two hours every weekend. Is that too short of a time? And she has been saving her money. I wonder how long have we played, Sara? It seems like a short time but we did pick up a crowd, huh. And to think Warrick and his boytoy, Nicky didn't even make it past the governor's office. Makes me wonder how Greg and Hodges did it? So what do you think?" Catherine glances at the brunette, who still had that blank look.

Catherine tucks the money in her pocket and continues to talk, "So I heard there will be flying monkeys coming in from mars. Their leader, Dr. Knuffels Galore, really smells like vanilla, maybe it's his deodorant or the shawarma he was eating. Could be onions, who knows. But I was hoping for the sake of the human race, and before extinction passes us by, he would use lavender soap or mail a post card to Angelina Jolie. I also heard that they're breeding wild unicorns down by east street. But I guess Santa's reindeers would not like that since Christmas season they rule the skies. I'm figuring there will be a strike between unicorns and reindeers." She nudges Sara, "but can't have that, can we?"

Sara nods, "yeah, can't have that."

Catherine shakes her head and stops walking, puts her hand on her shoulder, "Sara, honey, you okay?"

"Huh?"

Concerned, Catherine touches her cheek gently, "Are you okay?"

Sara blinks, "I guess so. I just..."

"And so you let me talk a mile a minute and you didn't hear a word I said. Honestly, Sara I think this is how you tune me out when we argue. You just zone me out and you let me flap my lips like crazy that..."

"Did you mean it?"

"Huh?"

"What you...whispered earlier?"

Catherine looks at her with a raised eyebrow, "Huh?"

The brunette looks at her surprised, "You...you don't remember?"

She chuckles, "Babe, I was aiming to win!"

* * *

"Beakfast at my place?" Catherine offers when they went out of the building. 

"Uh, not...not today, Catherine. I'm really exhausted. I just want to sleep this one off." Sara met her eyes, "Is that okay with you?"

"Sure, no problem, babe. See you later then?" Catherine comes up next to the brunette, reaches up to kiss her cheek.

Sara stiffens, her eyes wide with surprise and darts around scanning the parking lot for any possible witnesses. Catherine felt the tension and takes step back. She saw the brunette's cheeks turn bight red.

Sara breathes deeply, "I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry...It's just..."

Catherine smiles weakly. "Hey, it's okay. don't worry about it." She touches Sara's arm, "We're both tired. I'll see you later, okay?"

Sara nods, "Yeah, sure." She turns around and heads for her car. She knew Catherine was watching her walk away, and every step she took was taken with a heavy heart.

* * *

Sara reaches her apartment, chunks down her backpack and starts to take off her clothes as she walks to the bathroom. She pauses as she passes the bedroom, smiles and laughs at the memory of Catherine on top of her bed and jumping into her arms. It was amazing how Catherine felt so right in her arms earlier that day. How her heart skipped a beat as she carried the strawberry blond to the couch. How it felt as Catherine had her arms wrapped around her, like as if they belonged. 

She lets out a deep breathe, continuing her walk to the bathroom. "Who am I kidding." She says it out loud facing the mirror, "Who the hell am I kidding? Me and Catherine? We're world's apart. I'm night she's day, the two never meets!"

She steps in the shower and lets the hot water wash away all her tiredness. She stood there, savoring the feeling of the warm water run through her body, soothing and calming her. She thought of the earlier events of the day, being cornered by Catherine, getting her to play a game of Scavenger Hunt. She smiles recalling their tasks achieved together. How they did work together well. So she stood there, eyes closed remebering evey second spent with the stawberry blond. And how it also felt right that they belonged to each other.

The brunette didn't know how long she was in the shower till she heard the door bell. Not once or twice but several times.

She towels her hair up and slips in to her bathrobe. "I'm coming!" she screams at the top of her lungs cursing and promising to break that person's finger who just won't stop pressing the doorbell. She looks through the peep hole.

And opens the door, "Catherine?"

The older CSI pushes her way in, "Okay, which one would you like?" She takes out two garments from the plastic bag and hold them up for Sara to see. "I thought boxers were more your style. You wear boxers, right?"

"Uh, yes but what the..."

"I like this one coz i think it'll look sexy on you," she hold up one higher. "But this one is also cute 'coz it matches your eyes. So which one? Or do you want both? Personally, I think you'll look great in both of them anyway so..."

"Catherine," the brunette interupts her, "what are you doing here?"

She sighs, "You better pick one now because I'm no human clothes rack and I'm getting tired holding these up for you to see. So which one or both?"

Sara's mouth hangs open. Still surprised.

Catherine shakes her head, "Then I think you need to keep both." She proceeds to go to the bedroom and places the boxers on the bed. "Hey, Sara," she calls out. "I'm tired and need a shower. Since you're still there standing like a totem pole, can I poke around and find some stuff?"

Sara hears her closet being opened and shakes herself out of the trance. "Catherine, what... what are you doing here?"

"What does it look like?" She pulls out a shirt. "Can I wear this to sleep? This looks very comfty. Are the towels in the bathroom?" She heads to the bathroom and closes the door.

Sara hears the shower turn on. So she sat down at the edge of the bed, waiting for Cathrine to come out. She needed answers to the questions swirling in her head.

Catherine emeges wearing the loose shirt that was up to her thighs and her hair toweled up. Sara couldn't help but smile at the very sexy Catherine Willows right in front of her.

The strawberry blond smirks, "Don't we just look like Indians from Turkey?" Pointing to both of their toweled hair.

"Turks."

"Hmmm? I thought they were called turbans."

Sara whispers, "Turks are from Turkey."

"Well, whatever. Was never good in geography. Just show me a blood splatter and I'll tell you what angle it came from. So which side you taking?" Catherine takes a brush from her bag and combs her hair, waiting for Sara to say something. "Well?"

Sara opens her mouth, "I don't understand."

"I don't speak Dutch. English is all I know."

"You're being sarcastic, Catherine," Sara says quietly.

"Yes, I am, Sara. I'm tired. We need to sleep now."

"Excuse me?"

"What did you not get when I whispered, 'I want to sleep with you after this'?"

Sara stands up, looking at her curiously, "You...You remembered what you said?"

"I'm not senile and incontinent, am I? Of course I remember! I'm older but not that old, honey!"

Sara opens her mouth and clamps it shut. She taks a deep breath, "I didn't mean it that way. When I asked you, you said you forgot."

"Baby, I never uttered such words." Catherine stands by her side and whispers, "I wanted to win, so it would be over. And," she walks behind the brunette and slowly takes the towel that was wrapping her hair, "I wanted to be here right now, with you."

"Oh, god..." Sara's breathing quickens.

"No, not god, " she stands in front of Sara with a lopsided smirk, "it's just me, Catherine."

Sara grins down at her, "why is it when I feel uncomfortable. You make it all better?"

Cathrine smiles and kises her lips lightly, "You'll feel comfortable with me. So comfortable that you would not dare to get rid of me."

"I have no plans of doing that." Sara deepens their kiss, slowly snaking her fingers through Cathrine's hair, earing a low moan from the older CSI. Catherine in return wraps her arms around Sara's neck, giving the brunette the tingling feeling running across her skin.

And they stood there. Savoring each other's kiss.

Catherine touches her lower lip when they break for much needed air, "I don't think we'll be able to sleep."

"I know." Sara takes her hand and leads her to the bed, "So can I just hug you till we do fall asleep?"

"I'd love that very much." They pull down the covers and get in bed. Catherine looks at her with a frown, "are you gonna wear your bathrobe to bed?"

Sara grins, "You're already wearing the shirt I sleep in." She pulls Catherine closer to her and envelops her in a hug.

"So..." Catherine interlaces her fingers with the brunette, "Do you want it back? Like now?"

Sara chuckles and and kisses the exposed part of her neck, "Tempting thought, babe. How about we'll see when we wake up later on?"

"Good," Catherine closes her eyes, "Cause you'd probably have to take it off yourself later anyway."

And that thought earned a silly grin from the the brunette as she closed her eyes. She whispers in her ear, "Are we going too fast, Catherine?"

"Hell, no, honey love. We're going way too slow." She nuzzles closer to the brunette. "This should've been done years ago."

"And Lindsey?"

"You know she already adores you, babe. Now shut up, I want to sleep."

Sara chuckles and whispers, "You are truly a work of art, Miss Catherine Willows. And I'm so lucky."

"Then watch me later, babe. I'll show you what art and luck is all about."

Sara eyes opens wide, "Catherine!"

"Shut up and go to sleep, Sara."

Sara then closes her eyes, with the same silly grin plastered across her face. She whispers gently to the woman she longed so much to hold, "Forever, babe. This'll be forever."

Catherine whispers, "Forever, Sara." and adds, "and please shut up, babe."

Thoughts of how much fun it is to fall in love with Catherine crosses her mind. How truly blessed she is to finally find the one person she has been searching for all her life. She smiles when she felt Catherine's breathing evens knowing the strawberry blond has finally fallen asleep in her arms.

She kisses Catherine's neck gently and whispers, "Forever." And finally drifts off to sleep.

* * *

**r/r would be nice...**


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